Thursday, February 17, 2011

Dietary Fiber May Be Your Weapon to Lose Your Belly Fats and Keep Your Waistline at Bay!

Dietary fiber is an important part of our diet because it helps to prevent constipation. However, it is increasingly becoming famous due to much research showing that a high-fiber diet may help prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes and also provide solutions on this question on how to lose your belly fat!
No need to worry about eating bowls of oatmeal one after the other, however; filling up on fiber is easier than you think.
What is fiber?
Dietary fibers are the indigestible parts of plant foods that help to move undigested matter in the large intestine. They help to prevent constipation and can be divided into two groups: Soluble fibers and insoluble fibers.
Soluble fibers are found inside plant cell walls and dissolve in water to form a gel-like, sticky substance. This gives cooked beans their mushy centers and oatmeal its gummy texture. As it passes through the alimentary canal, soluble fiber will bind itself to dietary cholesterol, helping the body to eliminate them.
Sources of soluble fiber are legumes (peas, soybeans, and other beans), oats, barley, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, onions and berries.
Insoluble fibers, however, are the chewy parts of a plant that does not dissolve in water. It helps in the forming of the plant's structure and can be found in stringy vegetables, crunchy whole grains and fruit skins. This type of fiber passes through the body mostly intact, taking in water and adding bulk to the stool. This not only speeds up the rate at which your food goes through your system, it also helps to prevent constipation.
Whole grain foods, bran, nuts, seeds, vegetables such as green beans, cauliflower, celery, and the skins of some fruits such as tomatoes are rich in insoluble fiber.
According to the Micronutrient Center of the Linus Pauling Institute, legumes, wheat bran, prunes, Asian pears and quinoa are the most fiber-rich plant foods in respective order. Fruits such as raspberries and blackberries are also exceptional sources of fiber, so do remember to stock up on the foods I have mentioned!
Hopefully, this dietary fiber article can solve many of your problems and you can start planning on your personal "how to lose your belly fat" diet plan too.


By Andrew Choong. Platinum Quality Author

Lose Your Belly Fat - Simple Things to Know

If you have been trying to lose weight, then you know that looking for ways that work in eliminating belly fat could be quite a challenge. However, there are some researches that say that losing weight can easily be done with the proper mindset. Here are some other tips to help you lose your belly fat.
1. Make sure that if you belong to a family with a history of being overweight or obese, take charge of your eating habits and exercise routines early on. The sooner you are able to have the mindset that you would need to lead a healthy lifestyle to avoid your genetic tendencies of being overweight as well. However, if you are already overweight, then thinking about what caused your weight problem could help. If you are always blaming yourself for becoming fat, at least, you can put in mind that you came from a family with tendencies of being overweight and that you can still do something about it.
2. Make sure that each meal that you have starts with the food types that are filling. For example, you can eat your meat first before your potatoes or pasta since protein is more filling compared to the starchy foods. You would end up feeling full instantly and avoid overeating.
3. Try to eat each meal slowly. If you have always been the type of person who eats at lightning speed, then try to slow down. Make it a habit to put down your utensils every now and then or try to sip some water from time to time. If you eat slower, you would feel full even after eating less food.
4. Make sure that you eat the right food choices. Try to carefully watch what you eat and how much you eat. Steer clear of foods that have too much salt, fat, carbohydrates and sugar.
These are just some of the ways on how you can lose your belly fat. Remember that it would help to have the proper attitude. Once you are dedicated to a goal, you would definitely be able to lose your belly fat in the soonest time possible.

By Steve Blackman.