Filling Foods With High Fiber

Filling Foods With High Fiber
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Eating foods that are high in dietary fiber is an effective way to stay full and lose weight. High fiber foods take longer to digest, so they leave you feeling fuller for a long period of time according to MayoClinic.com. The key is in choosing foods that have adequate fiber content, but are low in calories. Finding filling foods that are high in fiber is easy to do.

Vegetables

Most vegetables are loaded with fiber and will fill you up. However, some may cause gas in some people. High fiber vegetables include zucchini, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, salad greens and peppers. Eat them raw when possible to preserve all of their natural nutrition.

Fruit

Whole fruits contain fiber and are a good part of any eating plan where you want to eat filling, healthy foods. Apples, bananas, pears, plums and berries are all suitable choices. Try to avoid fruit juices and dried fruit as the sugar content may be too high, according to MayoClinic.com.

Whole Grains

Whole grain products include breads, cereals, bagels and pastas. Look for whole grain flour on the ingredient list, which signifies it has not been refined and processed. When whole grains are made into white flour, the nutritious germ and bran are removed from the wheat.

Beans and Legumes

Aside from fiber, beans and legumes have the added benefit of providing high levels of protein. Though the fiber in beans can cause gas, nutritionally they are hard to beat. Good choices include kidney beans, peas, haricot beans, black beans, lentils and lima beans.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are higher in fat than most other high fiber foods, but most of that is unsaturated. Snacking on nuts and seeds during the day will provide a lot of fiber and keep you from binge eating other foods that may not be healthy for you. Choose peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts, pecans and walnuts, for example.

References

Article reviewed by Molly Solanki Last updated on: Sep 10, 2010

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