Is fiber one good for weight loss

Eating more fiber can help you lose weight, even if you don't make other changes to your diet. Fiber is super-filling. You digest it more slowly than simple starches and sugars. Plus, dieters who were told to get at least 30 grams of fiber a day, but given no other dietary parameters, lost a significant amount of weight, found a recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Not only is it great for keeping your appetite-and your weight-in check, fiber has loads of other health benefits. It's heart-healthy, good for your gut health, can reduce your risk of diabetes and certain cancers and helps you poop on the regular. The only downside is, most of us aren't getting the recommended amount of fiber. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends women eat least 25 grams of fiber each day (36 grams for men). Check out these 7 foods to get your fill.

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All-American Apple Pies

green bean

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muesli with raspberries

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chickpea curry

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Which foods are high in fiber?

“There are so many great options for adding fiber,” says Moore, who lists berries, beans, peas, and lentils as her favorite fiber-rich foods. “When fresh berries are in season, enjoy them fresh, tossed into salads, as a snack, or in yogurt. And be sure to stock frozen berries for a quick and nutritious addition to smoothies,” she suggests. Linares is a big fan of pistachios, which have 3g fiber in 1 ounce. Here is a list of top tastes to choose from:

• Chia seeds (2T): 10g
• Black beans (1/2 cup): 8.3g
• Chickpeas (½ cup): 8.1g
• Lentils (1/2 cup): 7.8g
• White beans (1/2 cup): 6.3g
• Pears: 5.5g
• Avocado (1/2 cup): 5g
• Edamame (1 cup) 5g
• Almonds (1/4 cup): 4.5g
• Apples: 4.4g
• Bulgur (1/2 cup): 4.1g
• Raspberries (1/2 cup): 4g
• Collard greens (1 cup): 4g
• Blackberries (1/2 cup): 3.8g
• Baked potato: 3.6g
• Peas (1/2 cup): 3.5g
• Popcorn (3 cups): 3.5g
• Whole grain bread (1 slice): 3g
• Strawberries (1 cup): 3g
• Quinoa (1/2 cup): 2.6g
• Broccoli (1 cup): 2.4g
• Kiwi: 2.1g
• Blueberries (1/2 cup): 2g

Pros of using fiber for weight loss

There are a few different reasons to use fiber for weight loss. Those can include:

• It helps fill you up. “Fiber is really important for satiety—it helps us feel full,” says Jessica Cording, M.S., R.D., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers: 50 Healthy Habits For Managing Stress & Anxiety. “That’s really important for curbing compulsive snacking.” When you add more fiber to your diet, “you are less likely to be hungry so soon after eating,” says nutritionist Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet.
• It helps slow down digestion. Fiber takes up more space in your stomach than many other nutrients, Cording says. As a result, “it helps you stay fuller, longer,” she says.
• It helps keep your blood sugar in check. Fiber is “really good” at regulating your blood sugar, Cording says. That can help prevent blood sugar crashes, which can make you feel cranky, she says.

Cons of using fiber for weight loss

While fiber is important for your health, there are some downsides to using it for weight loss.

• It can make you gassy and bloated. “If your body isn’t used to you consuming fiber, then it may cause side effects such as gassiness and bloating,” Gans says. But, she adds, “if you gradually add fiber to your diet and make sure to drink plenty of water, that should help decrease your chances for negative side effects.”
• It can mess with your ability to absorb certain nutrients. If you’re having a typical recommended fiber intake—i.e. 25 grams a day for women and 38 daily grams for men, per the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics—you should be just fine, Cording says. “But some diets call for very high amounts of fiber—50 grams or more,” she points out. “Too much fiber can impair absorption of certain nutrients, including calcium.”

How to determine how much fiber you need to lose weight

There’s no magic number here, but Gans recommends trying to get the daily recommended amount of fiber (again, 25 grams a day for women and 38 daily grams for men) and seeing how you do. “You should be focusing overall on adding more carbohydrates, such as 100% whole grains, fruits, veggies, and legumes, that are good sources of fiber,” she says.

How to use fiber as part of a greater weight loss plan

Fiber for weight loss works best as a greater weight loss plan. Meaning, you shouldn’t just rely on fiber to help you lose weight. Cording’s recommendation: Incorporate one high-fiber food into each meal instead of trying to jam in a bunch of fiber at one time. “Fiber can help you feel full and, when you feel full, it can be very helpful toward staying on track with healthy eating habits,” she says.

And don't forget to add water!

Any time you add fiber to your routine, you must make sure you're drinking plenty of water, says Linares: “One of the ways fiber works is by drawing water into your stool, which helps keep you regular. This only works if you drink enough water, though." She suggests adding an extra glass of water to your routine as you build up your fiber intake.

Marisa Cohen is a contributing editor in the Hearst Lifestyle Group’s Health Newsroom, who has covered health, nutrition, parenting, and culture for dozens of magazines and websites over the past two decades.

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