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Dear Heather:
Is it true that eating a lot of fiber can help you lose weight? Ever since I read an article on the benefits of fiber and weight loss I’ve been eating tons of fiber. Is there any truth to this or am I just wasting my time? Joanne
Dear Joanne:
Fiber has a number of great benefits and weight loss has recently being promoted as one of them. The reason why studies are showing that eating more fiber can help you lose weight is because foods containing fiber take longer to digest, satisfy you longer and ultimately cause you to eat less. Focusing on high fiber foods will help cut your calorie intake by giving you a feeling of fullness. Also, because fiber is digested slower you don’t experience dramatic blood sugar drops - which can be responsible for your late afternoon sugary snack needed to boost energy. It’s really easy to add fiber to your diet. Check out the difference between a low fiber and high fiber day.
Low Fiber Day 
Breakfast
1 Cup Rice Krispies, Skim Milk & 8 oz Orange Juice
Lunch
½ Turkey Sadwich on White Bread & Cup of Chicken Rice Soup
Snack
Small Bag Pretzel Twists
Dinner
Roasted Chicken, Baked Potato and Steamed Carrots
High Fiber Day
Breakfast
1 Cup Cooked Oatmeal, SKim Milk & Whole Orange
Lunch
½ Turkey on Whole Grain Bread & Cup of Lentil Soup
Snack
Nature Valley Granola Bar
Dinner
Chicken Stir Fry w/ Broccoli & Brown Rice , Mixed Green Salad
It’s really easy to add fiber to your day if you focus on one meal at a time. Aim for 25-35 grams a day to get the health benefits as well as weight loss benefits of fiber. To meet your daily requirement, look for foods with 2 grams of fiber or more per serving.
Thanks for another great question! We love to hear from you!
Sincerely,
Heather Campanile, RD
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