Adding fibre to your diet will keep the calorie count low and the weight at bay.
Here’s the plan: go on and gorge. Yep, there’s actually a way to get a full tum without filling out your yoga pants. Its name is fibre. And it just may be the secret to losing weight without starving yourself silly. “Fibre slows down the digestion process therefore making you feel full for longer, and it has zero calories!” says Shwetha Bhatia, RD, Mumbai.
Eating fibre-packed foods can also lower your body’s absorption of calories from carbs. One US Department of Agriculture study found that women who increased their daily fibre intake from 12 to 24 grams absorbed 90 fewer calories a day than those who ate the same amount of food but less fibre. In addition, studies have shown that fibre intake can lower the risk of heart disease, control your cholesterol and reduce chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Dietary fibres are also important in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Here’s how you can get your recommended 30 g (minimum) a day:
Go Whole (grain) Wholegrains consist of three layers: the outer bran, the middle endosperm and the inner germ. The fibre from bran is great at curbing hunger. To get your fill, so you don’t mindlessly snack before lunch, start your breakfast with a stuffed multi-grain roti or a multi-grain dosa or 2 slices of wholewheat bread. You can also swap white pasta for wholewheat and white rice for brown. To determine if a packaged food is wholegrain, look for the word “whole,” as in wholewheat, on the ingredient list, which means that all of the grain layers are still intact.
Eat More Veggies
Look for opportunities to chuck in vegetables… everywhere. Add them to your omelette, have it as your afternoon snack (carrots and hummus-yum!), and have a big salad for dinner. Beans, peas, lentils, broccoli, spinach and sweet potatoes are some of the best sources of fibre.
Ditch the Juice
You don’t have to do it completely but don’t think that fruit juice can substitute for its whole version. Juicing usually means that you get less fibre. Eating different whole fruits such as apples, oranges and dark cherries will add variety to your diet and help you meet you