Tofu burger for fat loss?

How does fiber play a role in fat- loss?

Dietary fiber is well known for its satiety-inducing properties.

Is fiber good for fat loss? How does it actually work?

A study was published in 2019 where a randomized control trial was conducted to review the satiety levels of plant-based meals versus a non-veg meal.

In this study, the participants were either given to eat a vegan soy burger or pork and cheeseburger. Now, the burgers were matched in terms of their calories and macronutrients. Therefore, both the burgers had equal amounts of calories and proteins. They, additionally, were also made to have equal amounts of carbohydrates and fats, etc.

However, the participants eating the tofu burger still reported feeling higher levels of satiety. They also ended up feeling fuller faster, thus did not overeat. This was totally opposite to the scenario of the people who ate the processed meat-based burger filled with pork and cheese. The meat burger group ate more calories and still did not feel satiated.

Now, although, the macronutrient and calorie count were equal for both meals, there were different results in the end.

Why was there a difference?

The reason was fiber. Fiber is only found in plants. It is not made, nor found in animal-based products.

Fiber, when eaten by people, is actually then eaten up by the good bacteria in our stomach to release something called SCFA’s, i.e. Short Chain Fatty Acids.

Short Chain Fatty Acids help to increase our satiety and control our overeating tendencies.

Another thing that helps to keep our satiation levels high is lentils. Having lentils for your meals drops the spike in your blood glucose level not only for that meal but also for your next meal.

Beans are another great source of dietary fiber. A study conducted in 2017 assessed beans as a source of intrinsic fiber on satiety in men and women with metabolic syndrome.

Wellness tip for the day

Try to increase your intake of plants every day. Aim to get in three cups of fruits and lots of vegetables, plus lentils, beans, and grains in your diet. This will aid you to boost the production of SCFAs in your body and keep you satiated and yet lose weight.

Intake of higher amounts of fiber can be very beneficial for losing weight or even maintaining a healthy weight. So don’t fear grains and pulses, but include them to your diet.

Trust this helps,

Roshni Sanghvi.