Eat More of This One Food Type to Transform Your Health, Say Doctors
Ah, January, the annual scramble to undo December’s damage. After a month of indulgence, millions of us are setting New Year’s resolutions to exercise more and eat better. But according to top doctors, one simple dietary tweak could make a genuine difference: eat more fibre.
Yet most Brits aren't even close to hitting the recommended 30 grams of fibre a day. 'Most people have a significant daily "fibre gap" of around 10 grams a day,' GP Dr Binita Kalaria told LADbible.
Why Is Fibre So Important?
While much less sexy than protein or superfoods, fibre is an unsung hero when it comes to weight loss and overall health. 'Fibre is a type of carbohydrate, but unlike other carbs we consume, it isn’t broken down into glucose during digestion and isn’t absorbed by the body. This means we only take in a fraction of its calories,' added Dr Carrie Ruxton.
'Compared with fat, fibre has less than a quarter of the calories weight for weight, but its biggest benefit when it comes to losing weight is that fibre has a beneficial impact on our gut bacteria which stimulate the hormones that make us feel fuller after eating.'
Translation: eat more fibre, and you’re less likely to overeat, because you’ll stay fuller, longer. It’s like a cheat code for cutting calories without feeling hungry. A diet rich in fibre can also improve digestion, keep your heart healthy, and reduce your risk of diabetes and even cancer.
Luckily, getting more fibre doesn’t require a complicated meal plan or expensive supplements. Readily available high-fibre foods include avocados, lentils, oats, pears, raspberries, broccoli, carrots, and even popcorn.
'When we eat enough fibre in our diet,' added Dr Ruxton, 'we see double benefits when it comes to weight loss: we take in fewer calories and we curb our hunger.'
So forget crash diets or quick fixes; focus on fibre this year and let the results speak for themselves.
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