You know that fibre is good for heart health, weight loss and bowel movement. Now here’s another reason to keep fibre-rich veggies, fruits, seeds and whole grains in your diet: It may keep lung disease at bay. In a recent US study, researchers found that people with a high fibre intake – more than 17.5g a day – had significantly better lung function than those who ate less than 11g a day.
FUEL YOUR BODY!
An easy way to boost lung health
You know that fibre is good for heart health, weight loss and bowel movement. Now here’s another reason to keep fibre-rich veggies, fruits, seeds and whole grains in your diet: It may keep lung disease at bay. In a recent US study, researchers found that people with a high fibre intake – more than 17.5g a day – had significantly better lung function than those who ate less than 11g a day.
“Increasing fibre intake may be a practical and effective way for people to have an impact on their risk of lung disease,” says lead author Corrine Hanson, an associate professor of medical nutrition at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the US. The authors believe that, besides its anti-inflammatory properties, fibre causes the release of natural chemicals that protect the lungs.
YOUR NEW FAT BURNER
This fat source will actually help you burn fat: fish oil. A new study by Kyoto University in Japan has found that it has the ability to transform fat-storing cells into fat-burning cells, which could help stave off weight gain in middle age. “People have long said that food from Japan and the Mediterranean contribute to longevity, but why these cuisines are beneficial was up for debate,” adds senior author Teruo Kawada. “Now we have better insight into why that may be.”
500ml
Drink this amount of water half an hour before each meal in order to amp up your weight loss. Dieters who did so lost more than five times as much weight as those who skipped the sips. By filling your stomach, H2O may help you become satisfied more quickly at mealtime, the study authors say.
SOUND BITE
“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
MICHAEL POLLAN, AUTHOR OF IN DEFENSE OF FOOD: AN EATER’S MANIFESTO.
3 WAYS TO SATISFY A SNACK ATTACK
●TIME IT RIGHT
Eat every three to five hours, says US-based dietitian Stephanie Middleberg. Noshing more often than that means you’re not really hungry or that your last meal wasn’t big enough. And if you wait too long, you’ll be ravenous.
●SIZE IT RIGHT
If you need a snack between breakfast and lunch, keep it at 100 to 150 calories. To bridge the much longer gap between lunch and dinner, which for many people is six hours or more, aim for 150 to 250 calories.
●PAIR IT RIGHT
Whenever you snack on fruits or vegetables, add some protein and a little healthy fat to keep you satiated and help you eat less later on.
