People around the world can’t get enough of it. To start a day, almost everyone drinks coffee. Some even enjoy it as a nightcap. Its beautiful aroma alone induces wakefulness in people. Coffee contains caffeine that helps combat adenosine in your brain, thus, giving you a surge of energy right after consuming the aforementioned hot beverage. And that’s only one of the reasons why people enjoy drinking coffee in the morning before taking on the day ahead, it fuels them. A cup of coffee, especially black, is also a great workout booster and can help you through your exercise routine and its proper execution. With that being said, drinking coffee can be helpful with weight loss. Without adding sugar or milk, and instead of mixing in lemon juice to your cup of coffee, this very concoction will be a sure-fire way to shed those extra pounds you have been wanting to get rid of. But as a stand-alone, here are some of the ways coffee helps with weight loss:
Working as a stimulant, coffee boosts your workout routine at the gym.
Contains the compounds caffeine, theophyllione, theobromine, and chlorogenic acids, coffee boosts the fat burning process.
Relieves constipation by improving digestion. Also, it minimizes sugar absorption.
Gives the body more energy by breaking down the fat cells, which are utilized by the aforementioned process
Helps your body burn more calories through thermos genesis, this is when your body generates heat and energy from the food you digest.
Lemon juice
While the majority of people all over the world start their day with a hot cup of coffee, some start theirs with a refreshing glass of lemon juice. Known to help with weight loss, lemon juice is also abundant with vitamin C and antioxidants which are great for your digestive health. Not only that, but lemon juice also contains diuretic properties, this helps detoxify your body, thereby aiding in effective fat burning. Here are some of the ways consuming lemon juice helps with weight loss:
The acidic composition in lemon juice helps detoxify your body by flushing out toxins and unwanted materials in your body.
Enhances bile production which aids further detoxification and promotes healthy digestion.
Lemon juice boosts metabolism, keeps you hydrated, and lowers your calorie intake low by making your appetite satiable.
A glass of lemon juice contains very little calorie (5 to 6 calories), this makes it a refreshing, low calorie drink.
Now, what would happen if we mix these two aromatic and refreshing drinks together?
The product will be the claimed ultimate morning drink that would be the perfect companion for your weight loss journey. To better understand how coffee and lemon juice mixed together might help you lose weight, let us all find out everything there is to know about this new weight loss trend.
Mixing coffee with lemon juice to lose weight has been trending on social media, especially on TikTok, where countless videos have been uploaded on the said app showing TikTokkers drinking the concoction. It was suggested that mixing the two together helps burn fat faster. One TikTokker in particular, Hilda Braso, has received thousands of likes on a TikTok video showing her drinking brewed coffee mixed with lemon juice on her third day of the diet. But after a week of trying out the mixture, she posted another video where she said she stopped the method for it never worked.
Marcela Fiuza, a dietitian and a member of the British Dietetic Association (BDA) said, “There is no physiological explanation that would justify mixing coffee and lemon to lose weight.”
Fiuza said that there has been no evidence to back up the claim that coffee and lemon together assist in weight loss. The dietitian also said that “Not only it is unlikely to have any beneficial effect on weight, but too much caffeine might also cause nervousness, insomnia, nausea, increased blood pressure, and other problems.”
Another BDA dietitian, Aisling Piggott, agreed with Fiuza by telling Newsweek about coffee and lemon juice assisting to weight loss in humans having no scientific evidence. “Much of the research into either lemon or coffee and weight loss is done in mice. Mice are not human and have very different metabolic pathways to us.”
She adds, “There is not a scientific basis to link weight loss to coffee and lemon in humans.”
Coffee and Lemon Juice For Weight Loss
Coffee and lemon juice each have their own health benefits when consumed. Both contain compounds with cancer-fighting properties. Both can also protect you against heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic ailments. But the claim saying both together is a wonder to those who are trying to lose weight still lacks scientific evidence. Here are a few other claims about drinking coffee with lemon juice together and the scientific evidence that might support it or go against it:
Coffee and lemon juice together ease headaches.
Drinking coffee and lemon juice together might either relieve or worsen a headache. If taking a pain relief medication for headaches, the caffeine in coffee can amplify the medication’s effectiveness. Caffeine also has a vasoconstrictor effect which reduces blood flow to your head by tightening your blood vessels, this will relieve your headache. But that very stimulant can also become a headache trigger if coffee is taken with other drinks and food, including citrus fruits (lemon is one).
Diarrhea relief.
If you have diarrhea, you are losing a significant amount of fluids in your body. This might cause dehydration. The claim on this says that eating coffee grounds with lemon (instead of drinking them both) is the remedy. But the diuretic effect of coffee will only worsen the dehydration caused by the loss of fluid.
Better skin.
The antioxidant content from both coffee and lemon juice might be able to give you better and nicer skin. The CGA content in coffee improves blood flow and provides better skin hydration. And the vitamin C in lemon juice stimulates collagen production, providing strength and elasticity to your skin. These benefits, however, can still be taken advantage of by consuming coffee and lemon juice separately. No scientific evidence says that you can only get these benefits if you consume both coffee and lemon juice together.
On why this weight-loss trend went viral on social media despite lacking scientific evidence to back it up, Fiuza said, “People compare themselves to others and social media creates an environment in which people compare their lives, eating habits, etc to the perceived ones of the person posting, often in sponsored posts which have been heavily edited.”
While coffee and lemon juice, separately, can help you lose weight, it still is best to couple it with a healthy diet and exercise. Through that, you will be able to achieve your ideal weight.
“When I’m dripping with sweat, I feel badass.” is just one of the many quotations you can find on the internet when you look up gym inspirational quotes. Sweat is the body’s sweet reward for people working out hard at the gym. It gives them visual proof that their gym routines are working. It is like skincare, but with a lot of sweat and sore muscles. And most gym-goers just go straight home after an intense workout. That’s just it for them, they sweat out, they cool down, and they go home. Little do they know that after hustling and bustling in the gym to lose weight, there is one facility they do not care for or dared to try that might actually help them lose more pounds, the sauna.
But the question is, is going to a sauna after a workout to lose weight good and safe for you?
You can get benefits from a sauna, both psychologically and physically, but more on the latter. And you can get the same benefits of exercising by just basking in a hot sauna. Five to 20 minutes in a sauna is enough to trick your body into thinking that you’re still working out, that would elevate your heart rate to 150bpm, and then your body temperature will go up and you will start sweating. Then your body will start releasing not only endorphins but also growth hormones.
Before we go into the health benefits that sauna gives, let’s talk about the types of saunas first and how long you should be in one.
There are a few types of saunas that might work for you depending on your heat tolerance. But generally, a room with a temperature between 150 degrees Fahrenheit and 195 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celcius and 90 degrees Celcius) can be considered a sauna.
A wood-burning sauna is a type of sauna that uses wood in stoves to heat stones or rocks and usually has a 10-20 humidity percentage which means it is high in heat, but low in humidity.
An electrically heated sauna has an electric heater attached to the wall or on the floor and that provides the heat to the room.
Steam rooms/saunas which are also called “Turkish bathhouses” get their heat from steam. Although the temperature is low in this one, the humidity in it is 100 percent.
IR (Infrared) sauna on the other hand uses specialized lamps to create heat out of lights, this will directly heat up your body without causing a temperature change in your surroundings. IR sauna has usually a lower temperature than a conventional sauna, only around 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celcius), but it still gives the same health benefits as the conventional ones. And with that, despite the variations in temperature, all types of saunas provide the same health benefits to the body.
Sauna
Now, let’s talk about how long you should stay in a sauna after working out.
First of all, you should always get hydrated. The longer you bask in a sauna, the more at risk you become of dehydration. Saunas are there for a reason: relaxation, like what people assume. So if you start getting headaches and other signs of dehydration, you should get out immediately and cool your body down. Your body’s exposure to a warm temperature causes it to sweat, especially when overheated. That means your body is losing more fluids than it’s taking in. So, given the fact that you have been sweating out from your workout prior to getting into a sauna, the risk of dehydration is high and real, so you should always be careful. Drinking a lot of water or electrolyte drinks while in the sauna and afterward would be a great way to prevent dehydration. Doing that replenishes the amount of fluids your body loses due to sweating. There are signs that indicate severe dehydration, including extreme thirst, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, a feeling of dryness in your mouth, and not urinating as much as you normally would. You have to watch out for these signs to reduce your risk of being severely dehydrated.
Before trying out a sauna for the first time, adults with comorbidities such as heart failure, kidney diseases, and diabetes should consult their doctors first. That also applies to pregnant women.
If you have never tried a sauna before, you should start small and build up from there. Just use the sauna for 5 to 10 minutes but wait 10 minutes before going in after working out.
Contrary to the popular belief that a sauna is just for relaxation, using it after working out actually is greatly beneficial to your body.
Sitting in a sauna causes your heart rate to elevate slightly, thus making you burn calories. Although this only has a small effect on your overall body weight, a few calories burned is still a weight loss, right? Here we go over the amount of weight you can lose using a sauna.
This, however, can make you lose a massive amount of water weight. But as mentioned, losing a lot of fluids is dangerous unless you make an effort to actually re-hydrating while chilling in the sauna.
A physical medicine and rehab specialist from the Texas Orthopedics, Dr. Ai Mukai, said that saunas help with fatigue and pain from people who suffer from fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions of the same nature. Frequent sauna use can also help improve heart health for people with heart failure.
Sweating in a sauna is also a great way to detoxify your body. Cleaning your lymphatic system by flushing out the toxins in your body through sweating will not only boost your immune system but will also help you get rid of some fats in your body and give you a ton more energy so you can exercise more.
The sauna will also help you fall asleep faster and keep you asleep until the morning after. Relieving stress that usually comes from a rough day. It might also give you a boost of energy that you normally get from coffee and the likes that always contain massive amounts of sugar, which is bad for you.
These are only some of the health benefits you get from using a sauna, either after a workout or a day of running errands. And you don’t have to jump in right away and stay in a sauna until you turn into a raisin. Start off slowly. Take your time. It’s always there to welcome you on your weight-loss journey.
Many people are looking for a solution to the ever-increasing problem of unwanted weight gain. While many people wish to experience the benefits of physical exercise, few have the time or the energy to indulge in such physical and arduous exercises. Luckily, there is the grapefruit diet which works wonders for those who try it out.
What is the grapefruit diet?
The grapefruit diet is also called the Hollywood diet or fad diet. It was introduced in America in the 1930s. Over the following decades, it was adopted by nutritionists in other parts of the world albeit slowly. Grapefruit has a fat-burning enzyme which makes it one of the top options for people who are looking for weight loss solutions. Essentially, this diet involves eating 800 calories a day. You should eat half a grapefruit before eating each and every meal. You should take food with extremely low carbohydrates content. This half grapefruit suppresses your appetite. There are many versions of the diet with varying results.
The history of the grapefruit diet
This diet started in the U.S in the 1930s. It instantly became popular, especially with movie stars. For some years, its prominence in the weight-loss industry went down. However, in the 1970s, the grapefruit diet reemerged with more emphasis and with a new slogan ’10 pound, 10 days’ diet.
How does it work?
Basically, the grapefruit diet involves eating foods rich in proteins and fats. Such foods include meat, eggs, fish, and bacon. At the same time, a dieter should avoid eating foods that contain carbohydrates. This is in an effort to maintain an 800 calorie per day diet. Some of the foods that a dieter should avoid include sugar, grains, cereals, vegetables, and all sweet fruits. The whole program takes between 10 and 12 days. After having finished the program, a person is supposed to take two days off. Many people who have tried the diet say they have lost about 10 lbs in the 10 days on the program.
Grapefruit Diet
Citrus-based fruits especially grapefruit contain strong phytochemicals. These plant chemicals are especially unique because they help in fighting and prevention chronic diseases. The all-important phytochemicals found in grapefruits are Hesperidins and Naringenin. These two compounds are especially critical because they act as antioxidants. They are also highly effective are reducing cholesterol as blood pressure in the body.
The human body if not exerted to physically exercise accumulates radical cells which then become part of excess weight. The more radical cells a person has, the more overweight they become. When a person takes grapefruit, these radical cells are eliminated hence a reduction in weight.
Weight loss is achieved when a person uses the grapefruit diet. You can either eat half a grapefruit or take juice made from the same. The effect of taking half of this fruit is felt almost immediately. Your appetite goes down considerably and the amount of food that you will take thereafter will be little. This is one of the aims of the grapefruit diet; to cut down on the intake of calorie-giving foods. By following this technique, you will lose substantial weight within the course of the ten-day weight loss program.
There are two ways by which the grapefruit diet helps you lose the extra waistband that has been bothering you for years. With the satiating effect, you will eat less food and this forces the body to metabolize excess fat. The other way that grapefruit helps the body lose excess weight is by burning up the excess fat and removing radical cells through the antioxidation process. This diet does not require a person to exercise physically to achieve results.
The benefits that come with following the grapefruit diet
Improves metabolism
Grapefruit uses natural principles of dieting. It contains ample enzymes which are ideal for enhancing metabolism. The fruit also comes with ample fiber and plenty of water. All these components are critical at enabling the body to reach a balanced metabolism state. Studies have shown that if you eat half a grapefruit with each meal you can lose up to 3 pounds over a period of 3 months. Like we said above there are different variations of this diet.
Improves your immune system
Among the ingredients that grapefruit contains which strengthen your immune system include Vitamin C, E, B6, and A. The ample of Vitamin C in the body acts in the same way as an antihistamine. It reduces the effect of a cold and even prevents your body from catching one. Your body will also be able to fight all manner of allergies.
Reduces chances of getting cancer
With reasonable amounts of vitamin C in the grapefruit diet, several types of cancers are prevented. Studies have shown that Naringin one of the phytochemicals in grapefruit contributes in a major way to the repair of DNA and also in attacking prostate cancer cells. Among the top cancers that grapefruit is directly credited to fight include colon, throat, stomach, and breast.
Reduce stress
One of the major reasons that many people are becoming overweight is because they are chronically stressed. Once you are able to manage your life and remove stress from all aspects of your life, you get to enjoy numerous other benefits such as reduced weight, healthier relationships, and even a reduced chance of getting depression.
Fight kidney stones and gum ailments
Drinking a liter of grapefruit juice will help reduce the chance of developing kidney cysts. Naringenin phytochemical which has a bitter taste is recognized for its direct role in the fight against PKD2 protein which is responsible for the causation of kidney stones. The common gum problem on the other hand will easily be handled by simply eating two grapefruits daily. Eating the fruit will not only prevent gum-related ailments but also tackle the already existing ones. The presence of Vitamin C in the fruit plays a big role in the prevention and treatment of gum problems.
For you to enjoy a healthy body, you need to give it all the right nutrients. Whether it is metabolism, immune system, prevention and treatment of diseases or just having some fun eating a great fruit, grapefruit is the fruit to bite into. There are so many benefits that you can’t ignore the positive aspects of the grapefruit diet.
Even a few years ago models found themselves out of jobs if they packed on a few pounds after a rewarding vacation in the Caribbean. Such incidents were not only extremely discriminatory they also sent a powerful yet wrong message to the common people. At the same time when health aid officials were trying to supply enough food to sustain people in troubled areas, there were gorgeous women purging their guts out in porcelain toilet bowls of 5-star restaurants.
What marked the beginning of the plus-sized era?
The cost of weight loss surgery is high. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, people’s typical costs range from $20,000 to $25,000 for procedures to augment their physique. However, with the advent of a new century came a much-needed change in prevailing fashion trends. Elle was one of the first magazines to break the “plus-size” taboo by featuring plus-size models on its covers. The editors made it a point to throw in a nude pic of the plus-size model just to mix things up and little and it surely had an impact that shook the fashion world. This issue of Elle saw a lot of niche followers and support from human rights groups and other contemporary models. Elle opened the gates of the fashion world for the plus-sized models who had forgotten to dream about a successful career. The magazine had sent out an important message to the world, fashion was evolving and maturing to suit the needs of real women who are not ready to spend their lives munching on Graham crackers only.
To bring the “plus” theme to the mainstream, even Vogue launched an online section, especially for plus-sized women. This website features blogs, interviews, and fashion statements by real-life curvy women who serve as a source of encouragement to all the other plus-sized women from around the world.
What impact did the embracing of plus size have on people?
Most real women know the plight of entering an over-priced fashion boutique. Not only are they met with utter disappointment, but the “experts” also do not deter from giving a few very necessary jibes and pieces of advice regarding the better places where these real women can shop. All in all, even a few years ago, one needed skin as thick as their waists to shop at one of the big labels.
Gladly, the gradual acceptance of plus-sized models into the fashion world changed the way most common people perceive fashion labels. Not only has it become less intimidating for larger women to walk into reputed stores, this move actually given fashion a humane persona. More than mannequins and hangers supporting ridiculously small hot couture dresses, fashion gradually became about luxury clothing, comfortable woolens, flattering shrugs, and super skinny but accommodating bottoms, once again.
The plus-sized controversy
The controversy is the lifeblood of fashion. The fashion industry and its veterans cannot thrive without controversy and gossip. However, the advent of the “plus-size” movement saw a number of changes that were both welcomed and frowned upon. To begin with, a reputed stylist walked out at the London Fashion Week 2009 when designer Mark Fast announced his decision to use plus-sized models for this show.
A more recent controversy has evolved around the denomination of the true body sizes. While most models who wear a size 10 or 12 are deemed to be plus-sized by the industry, the average size worn by women around the world is 14. This has caused a furor among feminists and women rights activists as the world of fashion is still shying away from showing the real bodies of women on the ramps and glamour shoots.
Plus sized models
Plus size vs. encouragement of unhealthy lifestyle:
There are popular views like that of Jamelia, a singer and Lose Women panelist who states that being overweight is simply unhealthy and should not be endorsed by reputed lifestyle brands and magazines. In fact, a group of scientists from Canada state that featuring obese women in magazine cover encourages people to lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Such hypotheses are being regularly challenged by the predominant cases of anorexia and bulimia which have been plaguing the modeling world for years. Years of advertising have taught us that skinny is perfect, but this comes at a cost of a healthy lifestyle and well-balanced meals. So while showing a proverbial middle-finger to the preconceived notions of fashion the voices of the real women are being heard again and many designers are dedicating new lines of clothing for the curvy hot women. Women are regaining their confidence for stepping into the smug stores which earlier only catered to the whims of the young and the skinny.
Going green:
Most agencies and labels are hiring models who represent the face of the USA. These models sport an average American look. The concept of exotic beauty with translucent skin and ridiculously angled faces are beyond passé. In addition to that, the use of plus-sized models has boosted the morale of many women in the fashion industry and has helped to build their confidence. A very interesting study shows that models with popular agencies like Ford are currently earning a whopping $15000 per day instead of the meager $125 per hour they were making earlier as a result of a wider acceptance range among the veteran designers and fashion labels.
Who are these plus sized models?
Most common women who wear sizes 10 and higher find the plus-sized models more realistic than their anorexic counterparts. The more popular image of supermodels puts forth impractical body standards which are simply impossible to attain for maximum women. This pushes them into the world of depression, bulimia, binge eating, and forceful self-starvation. However, women like Jennie Runk, Crystal Renn, Saffi Karina, Justine LeGault, and Tara Lynn are breaths of fresh air. They are the faces of new hope for thousands of women around the world who feel ridiculed every day for their body weight, thanks to these women, even designers like Ralph Lauren, Marina Rinaldi, Michael Simon, Betsy Johnson, Armani, and Jean-Paul Gaultier have started designing gorgeous clothes for the curvier women.
Few people realize that your body image plays a significant role in weight management.
What is Body Image?
Your body image is related to your cognitive perception of your body. In other words, the way you feel and think about your body. It also involves the emotions and perceptions you have about your body. More often than not, the majority of people see something that does not reflect in the mirror or how other people see them.
A Negative Body Image
A negative body image plays an unfortunate negative role in weight loss. Because of the negative body image some individuals have of their bodies, they resort to unhealthy and often abusive practices to achieve a physical weight loss goal that is often unrealistic and not achievable.
Due to this negative body image perception, people indulge in quick-fix weight loss diets. As mentioned, these methods of weight loss can range from unhealthy diets excluding vital food categories, yo-yo diets, and abusive methods such as starvation.
Poor body image often leads to people making wrong assumptions about life, for example, that a slim body will attract more wealth, or better happiness or the “lived happily ever after” romance. In the end, it all results in a vicious circle of disappointment, weight gain, and further negative perceptions of their bodies.
The Common Root for Eating Disorders
Negative body image is more often than not the root cause for serious eating disorders such as binge eating disorder, anorexia, and bulimia. With the majority of patients receiving treatment for eating disorders, other mental health problems are also observed such as depression, anxiety, and low self image.
There are many cases where so-called moderate weight loss programs or constraining eating behaviors resulted in serious eating disorders with an obsessive pre-occupancy with food.
Weight Loss for the Right Reasons
Very few people follow a diet because they want to eat a wholesome well-balanced diet and ensure that they revert back into a healthy weight range for their body type. The majority of people want to lose weight because they do not feel good about themselves.
Although it is important to maintain good eating behaviors, it is important to note that wanting to lose weight for the wrong reasons can lead to depression, and physical ailments, especially when your weight is fluctuating constantly.
Social Media and Society
When we compare our bodies to what social media platforms and other media along with society portray as the ideal body shape and size, it is highly likely that we will start to suffer from a poor body image. Taking into account how the perceived ideal body image has changed over just the past ten years, it is evident that it is certainly a bad example to rely on how your body should look.
Poor Body Image = Weight Problem
The most simple way to fight the weight gain you experience as a result of a poor body image is to consult with your doctor or a trusted friend who is able to be upfront with you and able to help you to align your body image with reality.
More often than not, being overweight or ashamed is not such a major issue as many people would like to make it out to be. With only a few kilograms/pounds overweight it does not mean you are a failure or are worthless or that your life is in danger.
A trusted health practitioner will be able to tell you if your perception of your weight is accurate or not and if you need to make adjustments to your lifestyle in order to lose weight in a healthy manner for the right reasons.
What and how we think about our bodies have a tremendous effect on our weight loss or weight gain abilities. In the event where you know, you are not positive or realistic about your body image, talking to a counselor or support group would be highly recommended. Once you learn to embrace the positive attributes of yourself, you can start to work on a realistic perception of what your body can be.
A poor body image results in weight gain. When you convinced yourself that you will always be overweight it is likely that you will convince yourself there is no point in trying a healthier lifestyle. This becomes a spiraling pool of negative actions such as avoiding some exercise, feeling ashamed of your appearance, starting to avoid people and avoiding going out in public, and having contact with other people who can motivate you to reach your health goals.
It is Not Only A Women’s Thing
Poor body image and weight loss is not only a matter that affects women. In the past year, up to 11% of men older than 15 years followed some kind of diet. More and more men resort to dieting to obtain the “perfect” physique along with bodybuilding, protein supplements, or other image and muscle enhancing drugs such as steroids.
Weight Loss and Happiness
Too many people who try to reach a healthy weight range, assume that they will be happier after losing a certain amount of kilograms. It is highly likely that you will feel healthier for sure, but happier?
Regardless of what the scale says, if you are not happy now, it is unlikely that you will be happy after weight loss. Your body will change, but you will remain the person deep inside your mind.
It is possible that you might have a hard time to cope with the sudden compliments and people discussing your weight loss. There is no guarantee that weight loss will make you happy.
A positive body image will curb the harmful negative symptoms of attempted weight loss. Healthy and long term weight loss certainly does not start at the dinner table or gym. It starts with a positive, realistic mind. First, you have to start accepting yourself in a positive way instead of self-hatred, to ensure weight loss that is lasting in order to make the real changes that lead to a healthy body and mind.
According to some recent studies and the World Health Organization (WHO) standards, everyone should eat a minimum of 25 grams of fiber every day. However, a larger intake of about 40 grams of fiber per day is considered more appropriate. Nutritionists and weight-loss experts suggest eating 30 to 40 grams of fiber every day to lose weight. If you are overweight, you can get back to shape by increasing your dietary fiber intake.
How does fiber intake help you lose weight?
A diet rich in fiber keeps you fuller for a longer period of time. It is because the fiber takes longer to break down and get digested compared to a diet rich in simple carbs. When you are feeling full and satisfied, you don’t reach for unscheduled snacks and cookies. Overall, you tend to eat less and it reflects on your weight that drops as you continue with your high-fiber food. When you aim to achieve 30-40 grams of fiber intake from your food, your food choices improve overall. This has an all-around impact on your health including your weight.
When you try to meet your daily quota of fiber intake, you start eating more whole grains, fruits, and veggies — that is where you find more fiber. For someone targeting weight loss, this is a good thing that instead of counting calories you are stuffing yourself with more veggies, fruits, and whole grains.
What are the other benefits of eating more fiber?
Fiber is an important nutrient for health. It helps reduce cholesterol that in turn prevents heart diseases. Since a fiber-rich food takes longer to break down and digest, it helps diabetic people by slowing down the supply of nutrients to the body. A major part of the digested food becomes glucose and gets into the bloodstream. A diabetic patient, therefore, may get a lot of sugar in a little time if he eats a carb-rich food. But if he eats a more fibrous food, the digestion will slow down and the body will get smaller doses of sugar over an extended period of time. Therefore, foods with more fiber in them are healthier for diabetic people.
Another major benefit of having more fiber in your food is that it keeps the bowel movement in a healthy state. With this kind of food, you will never struggle with constipation. How does this happen? It depends on the kind of fiber you eat.
Types of dietary fibers
When it comes to food, there are 3 types of fibers. These are soluble fibers, insoluble fibers, and fermentable fibers.
Both soluble and insoluble fibers help in digestion, but they have different roles. Soluble fibers come from things such as nuts, oats, and seeds. In the digestive tract, the soluble fibers act like a broom that sweeps, cleans, and pushes the food waste down the digestive tract. Insoluble fibers come from leafy vegetables, cabbage, and brown rice. These fibers promote bowel movement and help the passing of stool. These fibers are non-digestible so they easily get added up to the stool and increasing its bulk.
The fermentable fibers come from foods like garlic and beans. They play a very important role in the overall digestion of foods. They do this by promoting the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract. These bacteria act similar to probiotics. You can learn more about the two types of fiber here.
How can you get 30 grams of fiber from your food?
To get 30 grams of fiber, you will need to eat 8 to 9 apples or 12 to 15 cups of broccoli. Since eating so many apples or cups of broccoli every day is not practical, you will have to draw your quota of fibers from different foods that you eat on a daily basis. Rather, you will have to include some of the more fibrous foods in your daily diet.
To conveniently cross the 30-gram fiber quota, you should aim to consume at least 10 grams of fiber in each of the 3 meals you eat every day. For an idea of how much fiber your favorite foods have, let me tell you that a medium-sized pear offers ~6 grams of fiber so does half an avocado. A cup of oatmeal has ~4 grams of fiber and quinoa has ~5 grams. Barley has a huge content of fiber — ~8 grams for every 1/4 cup. Chia seeds offer 10 grams of fiber per 30 grams and chickpeas have ~9 grams of fiber per 1/4 cup.
Other foods that have high amounts of fiber include:
Avocado
Raspberries
Pistachios
Apples
Pears
Roasted Chickpeas
Artichokes
Blackberries
Here is a list of some regular foods that are rich in fibers (Infographic):
Cereals: Eating whole grains compared to refined varieties of cereals always promises to supply more fibers to your body. Avoid added sugar in your cereals. Oat-based muesli and Bran flakes offer up to 10 grams of fiber in a 50-gram portion.
Bananas: A medium-sized banana provides 3 grams of fiber. But eat your banana just ripely, not overripe. An overripe banana is more sugar than anything else.
Apples: Apples are not a big source of fibers but they still supply 2 to 3 grams of fiber from a small apple of 80 grams.
Nuts: Nuts are another source of high-quality fibers. For every 30 grams, they supply 2 grams of soluble fiber.
Wholegrain Bread: White bread does not contain much fiber while wholegrain bread has up to 2 grams of fiber per slice of bread.
Baked Potatoes: Potatoes with skin on has more fiber. A medium-sized baked potato with the skin on has 4 grams of fiber.
Wholemeal Pasta: Whole-wheat spaghetti contains a high 8-gram of fiber from every 75 grams portion.
Pulses: Lentils, peas, and beans are good sources of fiber. 150 grams of baked beans provide 6.8 grams of fiber whereas 100 grams of boiled lentils offer 8 grams of fiber.
Can you overeat fibers?
Yes, it is possible to overeat fibers. This is more likely when you are taking fiber supplements. When you overeat fibers, you will feel it. Bloating, discomfort, nausea, gas, and even constipation are some of the signs that you have eaten more fibers than the dietary guidelines for you.
Final thoughts
A healthy intake of dietary fiber is good for your health. If you are overweight, it can help you in your weight loss plan or maintain a healthy weight. We have discussed various items that provide good amounts of fiber. You can include these items in your diet and maintain a good fiber intake.
A poor body image results in weight gain. When you convinced yourself that you will always be overweight it is likely that you will convince yourself there is no point in trying a healthier lifestyle. This becomes a spiraling pool of negative actions such as avoiding some exercise, feeling ashamed of your appearance, starting to avoid people and avoiding going out in public, and having contact with other people who can motivate you to reach your health goals.
Cereals: Eating whole grains compared to refined varieties of cereals always promises to supply more fibers to your body. Avoid added sugar in your cereals. Oat-based muesli and Bran flakes offer up to 10 grams of fiber in a 50-gram portion. 
