In the health and wellness world, there is growing debate about whether fiber can help aid weight loss or if fiber is weight loss’s enemy.
Vegans love it and swear by it, while carnivores and keto-adherents disparage it.
We’re going to stay away from bias and emotional arguments and instead look at what science has found.
With the caveat that today we are only looking at weight loss science. Foods have more effects on the body than weight.
And with that disclaimer out of the way, let’s find out what’s really going on.
First, what kind of fiber are we talking about?
There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.
Insoluble fiber is not digested and helps move food along its journey through the digestive system, adding bulk to stools before they finally make their grand exit from your you-know-where.
Soluble fiber, on the other hand, is water soluble (hence the name) and forms a gel-like, or viscous, substance in the gut during the digestive process. You can see this effect when you soak chia seeds in water as they soak up the water and create a kind of gel.
This gel-like effect helps to slow digestion and aids nutrient absorption. It also helps to increase feelings of fullness and smooth out some blood sugar spikes.
But does it also aid in weight loss?
What scientific research says about fiber and weight loss
For starters, a meta-analysis published in 2020 found that viscous fiber reduced both body weight and waist circumference. [1]
A later meta-analysis published in 2022 found that those supplementing with dietary fiber showed significantly higher reductions in body weight, BMI, waist circumference, fasting blood insulin as well as insulin resistance (wow) when compared to the control group. The researchers noted the certainty of evidence was high. [2]
So how does soluble fiber affect weight loss?
There may be several mechanisms, some we can speculate about and perhaps others we are still not aware of.
The fact that it may reduce insulin levels as well as insulin resistance, with insulin being known by many as the fat storing hormone, is an obvious prime factor.
Additionally, we have also seen scientific evidence that the good bacteria in our gut microbiome could play a big role in maintaining a healthy weight (see here for more). As fiber helps feed good bacteria, it stands to reason this could be a prime factor as well.
Lastly, anything that helps you to feel fuller could have a positive impact on preventing not only overeating, but importantly the overeating of unhealthy foods that could contribute to weight gain.
As we all know, cravings have a tendency to lead us in one direction – “comfort” foods, or highly processed junk foods and snacks.
Fiber’s ability to help us feel fuller could help keep us off that road.
With that said…
Food is not our enemy – if we use it wisely
Food is what gives our bodies the vitamins, minerals, and raw materials to build themselves and function properly at a high level.
Reducing appetite is not a good thing if it prevents us from feeding our bodies the nutrients we need.
Reducing appetite is a good thing, however, if it keeps us from hunting for unhealthy snacks between meals when we really shouldn’t need them.
If we eat whole, healthy, satiating foods at mealtime, we may find that we don’t have any need for restriction at all. We can eat abundantly, while honoring our bodies’ fullness signals, then enjoy productive days without the need to snack.
And those fullness signals become easier to honor when we eat foods that help us feel fuller for longer, such as high fiber foods.
Consuming foods that provide us with necessary nutrients that also help signal to us when to stop eating is one of the primary steps most of us can take with our diets to gain whole body health.
And when we do, it just might be that healthy weight will follow.
As with anything you read here, remember to discuss any changes to your diet or lifestyle with a licensed healthcare practitioner. For example, how much fiber as part of a balanced and healthy diet is appropriate for you in your present state of health. The information presented here is just that, information, and may not always be safe and appropriate for everyone.
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