Pectin: A Key to Long-Term Weight Loss?
You may never have heard of pectin, but you may have been eating it for
a long time without knowing it. Pectin
is found in a variety of fruits, such as apples, peaches, and strawberries,
along with vegetables including sweet potatoes, beans, and raw carrots. Pectin is defined as a carbohydrate that
lacks calories. It is also a reliable
source of fiber, which is a prime ingredient of a healthy diet. Pectin is not absorbed by the body, but
manages to cut cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It may even prevent colon cancer.
One of the interesting things about pectin is that it causes the stomach
to empty more slowly. As a result, after
you consume pectin, you feel satisfied for a lengthy period of time. This means that you will ultimately eat less,
leading to weight loss. Research has
shown that a small dose of pectin will do the trick—as little as a single
teaspoon can enable you to feel satisfied.
You’ll find pectin at your local grocery store. There’s the powder, which may be known as
Sure-Jel, and the liquid, known as Certo.
Derived from apples and grapefruit, pectin is ordinarily found among the
baking supplies in the supermarket. You
can also find pectin in health food stores.
Supporters of the pectin approach to weight
loss recommend adding it to orange juice, water, or soft drinks. The pectin should have no effect on the taste
of your beverage. Given the fact that
pectin is fiber, you should increase your intake of it gradually. Begin with a teaspoon a day and then work
your way up to three teaspoons daily. In
addition to adding it to beverages, you might consider putting pectin in
applesauce, baked potatoes, or broth.
Pectin is just one kind of fiber.
In general, fiber is a key element to any successful weight loss
program. Physicians believe you should
consume anywhere from 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily, although most Americans
eat 15 grams or less. Fiber also has a
number of positive health effects. It
has been linked to reducing cholesterol, managing diabetes, and limiting heart
damage. One Swiss study determined that
consuming a high-fiber meal reduced hunger more than eating a meal low in
fiber. You can find a number of sources
for fiber. These include carrots, peas,
spinach, and cauliflower. In addition,
there are a number of fiber-enriched breakfast cereals and breads. For the most part, food that is high in fiber
is low-fat.
There are some simple ways that you can increase your intake of
fiber. For instance, you can add
garbanzo beans to your salad or soup, or serve a tablespoon of bran with your
cereal. Consuming the skin of fruits and
vegetables will also enhance your fiber intake.
Since the actual fiber content of individual foods tends to be low, it
is best if you increase the number of servings of fiber-filled food that you
eat each day.
At times, you might consider eating dinners that don’t contain
meat. This is because meat has no fiber,
so it doesn’t give you the health benefits that fiber-rich food does. Instead, concentrate on eating grains,
fruits, and vegetables. In this way, you
can make sure that your meal has a hearty concentration of fiber.
It should be said that it can become difficult to become accustomed to a
diet rich in fiber. It is indeed
counter-cultural, since many families grew up consuming a great deal of
meat. However, if you’re serious about
weight loss, you’ll give fiber-rich meals a try. Such foods, combined with other sensible
eating, can help you lose the weight and ensure that it stays off.
Don’t think that you can graduate to a high-fiber diet overnight. It may require a great deal of
trial-and-error before you hit upon the right amount of fiber. However, in the end, you may be amazed at the
positive role that fiber plays in your diet.
And you may be inspired to encourage others to add more fiber to their
own diets as well. It has even been said
that a high fiber diet can help you to better manage the amount of food that you
consume. So load up on fiber—and watch your waistline
shrink as a result.
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