What Is Fiber And How Can It Help With Weight Management?

February 1, 2009 -- Question: What is fiber and how can it help with weight management?

Answer: Fiber is a type of carbohydrate mostly not absorbed, not metabolized by the body. It passes through undigested. Basically two different kinds of fibers: soluble, which dissolves in water, and insoluble, which does not. And this can be very helpful. Fiber can be very helpful in weight management because it helps create a feeling of fullness or satisfaction.

If we have a diet that's rich in fiber, we fill up more easily, we don't feel the need to consume as much food and as many calories.

One way to put more fiber in your diet, one important way, is to pay attention to the choices we're making. Whole grains are a great source of fiber. Many fruits and vegetables are also a good source of fiber. If you're buying, for instance a product, a breakfast cereal or bread, look and see if whole grain is the first item listed on the list of ingredients and look and see how much fiber there is per serving.

A slice of bread that has a couple of grams of fiber is a good fiber source. A breakfast cereal that has at least three or four grams of fiber per serving is a good cereal source of fiber. A whole wheat pasta is a better choice than a white pasta or fine grain pasta, for instance.