Why might a meal with beans, vegetables or whole grains keep you satisfied longer? These foods contain fibre, which adds bulk to a meal and can help you feel full sooner. Most fibre is not fully broken down by your body.
What is fibre?
Fibre is a natural part of plant foods. You can find it in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and beans. So a bowl of beans with vegetables and whole grains has more of this plant material than a similar-sized meal without them.
As fibre moves through your digestive system, it adds bulk. This can make a meal feel more filling, rather than simply disappearing during digestion.
Why the bulk matters
Think of fibre like the solid plant structure in a meal: it gives the food useful bulk. This is only a simple comparison, because digestion is more complex than food simply passing through unchanged.
That bulk can help you feel satisfied faster. Fibre also helps digestion and can help prevent constipation by supporting regular digestion.
Plant foods that bring fibre
- Beans
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Whole grains
- Nuts and seeds
Fibre is not just something listed on a packet. It is a natural part of plant foods that helps give a meal more bulk and can help you feel satisfied.
For more on this topic, see Dietary Fiber: MedlinePlus.
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This article is for general education and does not replace personalised advice from a qualified healthcare professional.