Losing weight can be challenging when you’re initially adjusting your diet to exclude foods that you like and include foods that you’re not familiar with. Increasing your fiber intake will help you lose weight by cleansing and stimulating your digestive tract on a regular basis. The indigestible fiber in the food acts like a sponge, clinging to undigested sludge and encouraging frequent bowel movements, which aids in detoxification while preventing constipation and boosting the metabolism. With that said, here are 10 fiber-heavy foods that can help you lose weight quickly and reliably:
1. Konjac:
The root of the Konjac plant, also known as Elephant Yam, is a high-fiber food that’s known to promote weight loss by reducing bad cholesterol levels, treating and preventing constipation, and controlling blood sugar levels. While you may not be able to find this at your local grocery store, it may be worth your time to search online for this root, as it provides benefits beyond merely being a high-fiber food.
2. Apple:
Apples are high in most of the vitamins and minerals that you need in your daily diet. Although they aren’t extremely high in any one vitamin, a few apples per day can cover many of your nutritional needs apart from protein. Apples are also high in fiber and they contain malic acid, which softens stool and promotes regular bowel movements.
3. Banana:
Bananas are high in fiber and potassium, both of which are important in a weight loss diet. They’re also easy to chew and they go great with any smoothie recipe. Green bananas also contain resistant starch, which is an indigestible carbohydrate that offers many of the same benefits as fiber. Don’t eat too many bananas in one sitting though, as they can also be used in weight gain diets when eaten in excess. They contain roughly 2.6 grams of fiber per 100 grams of fruit.
4. Strawberries:
Most people find strawberries to be absolutely delicious, so it’s not difficult to add more of this fruit to your diet. You don’t want to overdo it with sweet strawberries, as too much sugar can hurt your weight loss efforts. Likewise, avoid the whipped cream or sugar-dipping to keep your sugar levels under control. Strawberries are high in vitamin C, antioxidants, and manganese, and they consist mostly of fluid, so you can eat a lot of them without actually consuming a large number of calories. More specifically, there are only about 49 calories per cup of strawberries.
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5. Oats:
Oats are great for losing weight because they’re low in cholesterol and high in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. The fiber in oats is also of a special variety, known as oat beta-glucan, which is known to have positive effects on cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Cooked oats are the easiest for the body to digest, so it’s best to consume oats in the form of oatmeal or oatmeal bars when weight loss is the goal.
6. Almonds:
Almonds are high in fiber and they provide healthy fats and minerals as well. The flavor is relatively neutral, so they can be sprinkled onto or into almost any meal or shake without changing the taste. They’re also surprisingly filling, so snacking on them one at a time is a good way to avoid large meals while satisfying the urge to snack. Snacking on smaller meals throughout the day is the best approach for weight loss because it keeps your metabolism moving.
7. Carrots:
Carrots are very high in fiber, and they add a nice crunchy texture to any salad. They also boost the flavor of soups and juices, while containing high amounts of vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin A, magnesium, and beta-carotene, a unique antioxidant that the body converts into additional vitamin A. Carrot juice is known to be a metabolism booster and is a common component in many weight loss diets.
8. Broccoli:
Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse that contains plenty of fiber. In fact, it’s one of the most nutrient-rich foods you can buy at almost any grocery store. It’s high in vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, potassium, manganese, iron, and antioxidants. Although raw broccoli contains the most nutrition, certain nutrients are easier to digest after the broccoli is steamed. Steaming broccoli is the best way to soften it without reducing nutritional density.
9. Raspberries:
Raspberries are a lot like strawberries, being low-calorie, sour-sweet red fruits that help with weight loss. However, raspberries also provide the benefit of increasing melatonin production, which helps with rest and healing, which you may need after strenuous exercises that are part of your overall weight loss regimen. Not surprisingly, these tart fruits are high in vitamin C. While they’ve been added to the lower part of this list, they would rank near the top if it were categorized by fiber amount, as they contain about 6.5% fiber by volume.
10. Pears:
Pears are low in calories, easy to digest, high in vitamins and minerals, and they contain lots of fluid to help keep you well-hydrated. Ripe pears can be easily squashed into juices and smoothies, and you can eat them until you’re full without consuming an exuberant number of calories, as the fruit contains roughly 57 calories per 100 grams. Slightly harder pears are better for weight loss, as the fruit sweetens when it ripens. While soft, sweet, and juicy pears may be the most delicious, they can be high in sugar, so don’t overdo fully ripe pears in one session.
What About Protein and Fats?
Although all of the above foods are great for getting your fiber, you still need to get at least a small amount of protein and fat in your diet to lose weight in a healthy manner while keeping your energy levels sufficient for exercise. Great clean sources of protein include, rice, beans, lentils, and nuts. You’ll find plenty of variety within those food types alone. You can also get healthy fats from avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, fish, and almonds.
We suggest everyone to try and lose weight naturally. That would be more effective and with minimum side effects. These high fiber foods are a great way to start your weight loss regime right away! So go ahead and lose those ounces right away.
