When you are in the process of slimming down, every little bit of help counts. Things can get somewhat confusing, however, when you start to examine all of the different supplement choices that are out there. From protein to creatine, to Omega 3 and multivitamins, it can be hard to know which you should take and which you can afford to skip. You certainly don’t want to be taking a fistful of pills with every meal but enhancing your nutrition with things like dietary fiber supplements can’t necessarily hurt.
Fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet. Naturally found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, fiber is present in those plant-derived foods that are closest to their natural state. In other words, although other carbohydrate products like cookies and French fries contain dietary fiber, they are poor sources. Closer to their natural state, things like oatmeal and sweet potatoes will have higher fiber counts and give you more bang for your caloric buck.
As with any supplement, if your diet is perfect you have no use for them. But really, whose diet is perfect? Dietary fiber supplements can be a good addition on days when you can’t seem to get your fiber count up through diet alone.
Dietary fiber supplements and fiber through whole foods can assist with your weight loss efforts through a few avenues. Fiber tends to be bulky and can fill you up better than other empty calories. This means a fiber-rich meal is often lower in calories than one that is lacking roughage. Also, because it fills you up, you will tend to eat less.
And no discussion of fiber would be complete without talking about its effects on the digestive system. Fiber keeps things moving. Being regular has its benefits both in weight loss and in general health. When you consistently eliminate waste from your body, you find it easier to maintain a steady weight and you just generally feel better.
While a dietary fiber supplement is not a must-have, it isn’t a bad product to have around. The American Heart Association recommends 25 grams of fiber each day. On days when you just can’t hit that mark, consider a natural source fiber supplement to make up the difference.
Feb 23, 2010 @ 12:03:03
Good post! I would just add that you should make sure to get plenty of water along with the fiber. I recently learned the hard way that too much fiber without enough water can cause the fiber to dry out and bind up in the lower intestine. NOT the result that most people are looking for when they increase dietary fiber.