When we talk about weight loss and diets, the question that everyone asks is, “Am I going to be hungry?” Let’s be honest, no one likes to be hungry, and hunger can cause the best intentions to fail.
But with meals featuring whole grains, you won’t feel hungry. That’s because whole grains are full of dietary fiber.
Fat-melting and stomach-filling
Fiber ensures that as your meal digests, there is slow release of sugars into your bloodstream, and very importantly, fiber adds bulk and keeps you feeling full for much longer, reducing your visits to the snack box throughout the day. All of this while nourishing your cells for a more vibrant you.
Since whole grain foods are low-fat and cholesterol-free, they are an ideal way to build new eating habits for your flat-tummy scheme. But, the coolest thing about whole grain foods, are the resistant starch they contain. It’s that fat-melting, stomach-filling, metabolism-boosting carb that does not get digested.
It just moves through your digestive system while forcing your body to burn up the fat it has in storage. The only precaution for anyone who isn’t currently getting enough fiber in their diet, is to drink lots more water to help your body adjust to the increase in fiber once you switch to more whole grain foods.
Easy changes, big results
Nutrition experts tell us that a balanced diet includes fruits, vegetables, proteins and grains, and these are also fiber rich foods. An apple has 17% of your daily value of fiber, compared to apple juice which has 2%. In vegetables like potatoes, the fiber is in the skin. Fruits and vegetables are the only or even the best fiber source.
The national healthy eating guidelines encourage us to consume about 6-ounces of grains every day. Now, if you’re not a bread-lover, you may think that 6 ounces is a lot. But, a 1-ounce serving of grains is easily eaten in your regular snacks and meals. For example, as:
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal (8% fiber)
1 slice whole-grain bread (8% fiber)
3 cups popcorn (15% fiber)
a 6-inch tortilla (8% fiber)
1/2 cup cooked, whole-wheat pasta (12.5% fiber)
So, if your breakfast is a serving of oatmeal and two slices of bread, lunch includes two tacos, and dinner involves some of your favourite pasta, you would’ve gotten all 6 ounces in without thinking about it. Not to mention if you had snacked on some air-popped popcorn throughout the day, total you’d be at 67.5% of your daily value of fiber. The rest would be easy to get with vegetables and fruit.
Beware though, it’s not about buying fiber powder or processed food with fiber on the box. It’s about eating real food.
