How fibre can help with weight loss

Let’s talk about fibre. Lots of us think of fibre as a nutrient needed for digestive health and regular bowel movements – and it is. But did you know it can also be instrumental in weight loss, among so many other benefits? Here’s how it works …

Fibre is classed as either ‘soluble’ or ‘insoluble’ – depending whether it dissolves in water.

Soluble fibre (found in fruits and veggies) helps to slow the emptying process in your stomach, which helps you feel fuller for longer#. With reduced hunger and appetite, you’re likely to consume less food and less calories.

Insoluble fibre (found in wholegrain breads and cereals) bulks up and softens your stool content, supports regular bowel movements and also helps you feel fuller for longer*. Fibre can also improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels, as well as help to prevent diseases including diabetes, heart disease and bowel cancer#. It’s packed full of benefits!

Both soluble and insoluble fibre are equally important for digestive health and for weight management – and finding ways to add it to your diet can be easy and delicious.

Here’s my top tips to bump up your fibre intake :

Whole foods (aka unprocessed) are the best way to increase fibre intake and support overall health. Think fresh fruit and veggies (skin on where possible), legumes, oats, wholegrain breads, wheat bran, cereals, nuts and seeds. With so many great recipes out there, it’s easy to incorporate lots of these into a balanced diet.

Meal replacement shakes are often formulated with vitamins and minerals, and include fibre and protein to help to keep you feeling fuller for longer. However it’s important to read the nutrition panel and consider whether it’s right for you.

Metamucil is a fibre supplement made from psyllium husk, and is used to support regular bowel movement. Check with your GP or pharmacist whether Metamucil is right for you.

Make healthy swaps to incorporate more fibre into your diet, such as switching to wholemeal or multigrain bread and brown rice, adding at least one extra vegetable to your evening meal, and choosing high-fibre snacks like fruit, nuts or seeds over highly-processed (and often high calorie) snacks.

Fibre can play a part with weight management, and gut health. However, the best approach should always combine a balanced diet and exercise. Speak to your TerryWhite Chemmart pharmacist about how we can better support you with weight management or visit https://terrywhitechemmart.com.au/health-information/weight-management for more tips on living a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

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Sources:

* Melanoma Institute of Australia, https://www.melanoma.org.au/understanding-melanoma/melanoma-facts-and-statistics/

^Cancer Council, 2021: https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety