What are some of the health benefits of fiber?

Fiber has many health benefits.¹  It is particularly helpful and important for weight loss and maintaining weight loss.  An adequate amount of fiber in your diet helps with weight control in many ways.  According to the Institute of Medicine, it is recommended that, in adults 50 or younger, women should consume 25 grams of fiber daily and men 38 grams. In adults 51 or older, women should consume 21 grams of fiber daily and men 30 grams.  Consuming adequate amounts of fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer.² Unfortunately, most people do not get enough fiber in their diet naturally due to the ultra-processed foods found in our standard American diet. Fortunately, the Jenny Craig meal plan provides just the right amount of fiber to meet the human body's needs. What’s even better is that following Max Up, Jenny Craig’s one-stop, most effective weight loss plan ever, makes getting your daily fiber easy and a no-brainer!

4 ways adding fiber to your meal plan aids in weight control

1. Consuming fiber helps you feel fuller.

In this way when we consume fiber, such as vegetables, the fiber in the vegetables takes up a large portion of space in the stomach therefore aiding in the feeling of fullness. This approach to adding fiber intentionally to your diet to increase your satiety was pioneered by Dr. Barbara Rolls and is termed the “volumetrics” approach to weight loss.

2. Fiber improves your gut health.² 

Many studies have shown that the gut microbiome plays a role in healthy weight management.³  There are good gut bacteria that decrease the risk of excess fat storage. Consuming fiber that is high in prebiotic fiber can improve the gut microbiome to shift it in a way that decreases calorie storage and promotes weight loss. Prebiotic fiber feeds and nourishes the good bacteria in your gut. A good source of prebiotic fiber is inulin.³  Inulin comes from chickery root and is added to foods to increase their prebiotic benefit.

3. Fiber reduces your cholesterol. 

Soluble fiber binds to cholesterol in your small intestine and prevents cholesterol from being absorbed.  With less cholesterol being absorbed from your diet this means less calories as well.⁴

4. Fiber may increase GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) a biological neurotransmitter that helps regulate metabolism and appetite.⁵ 

The drug Wegovy™(semaglutide) activates the GLP-1 receptor and is the most effective medication for obesity treatment to date.  When people take this GLP-1 activator it induces weight loss by multiple mechanisms.  Early studies have shown that fiber consumption increases natural GLP-1 production and that may have benefits on your metabolism.

How can I add more fiber to my meal plan?

"My go-to fiber rich foods include whole grains such as farro, brown rice, quinoa, and oatmeal, as well as beans and non-starchy vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts,” said Dr. Fitch. “Broccoli and Brussel sprouts make great additions to your Jenny Craig meal plan as added PlantPower!”

These are the many reasons why it is important to consume fiber daily and great tasting foods is one of them! However, many find it challenging to consume the required fiber without a dietary plan to intentionally achieve these goal numbers. The Jenny Craig Max Up Plan makes it easy to reach your fiber goals and this helps with weight loss and weight maintenance long term.

Learn more about our most effective weight loss solution, Max Up!