Foods That Curb Hunger

High-Water, High-Fiber Foods Help Curb Hunger

Foods high in water and fiber, like fruits and vegetables, are the so-called high-volume foods. They add bulk to your meals and help fill your stomach.

Researcher Barbara Rolls, PhD, and her colleagues at Pennsylvania State University have done extensive research on the "volumetric" theory of eating more low-calorie, high-volume foods.

"We have found in numerous studies that when you allow people to eat as much as they want of foods that are high in volume yet low in density (calories), they eat less at the meal or during the day," says Rolls.

Indeed, Consumer Reports magazine recently named Rolls' Volumetrics program as the best-researched diet plan.

There are basically two simple volumetric strategies, says Rolls: "Eat a salad or bowl of broth- based soup before the meal to reduce intake at the meal; or reduce calorie density by increasing water, air, or fiber and take out a little fat -- but not so much that the dish loses it taste."

How does it work? Foods containing water, air, or fiber have fewer calories than other foods and also cause the stomach to stretch and empty slowly. In addition, the simple act of seeing a large amount of food -- like a big salad -- can help you feel more satisfied.

The best part is that choosing foods low in caloric density helps you shed pounds without feeling like you're on a restrictive diet.

Anyone who has ever been on a diet is familiar with the gnawing feeling of hunger that occurs when you cut way back on calories. And after a few days of feeling deprived, most dieters throw in the towel. But what if you could cut calories, yet still eat plenty of food, and not be plagued with constant hunger? Experts say that if you choose foods that help curb hunger, as well as become more mindful of your eating behaviors, you can actually eat more and still lose weight.

American Dietetic Association spokesperson Dawn Jackson Blatner calls it the "dieters' dream come true" trilogy of fullness foods:  "If you have at least one or more foods that are high in water or fiber and lean protein at all meals, you will feel full on fewer calories." 

Lean Protein Can Reduce Hunger

There is growing evidence of the power of lean protein, like lean meat, fish, poultry, soybeans, and eggs, to help with fullness and weight loss.

"You are most likely to feel fuller after eating protein than other nutrients, including fiber, and one of the theories behind why higher- protein diets work well with weight loss is because it helps you not feel hungry," says Purdue University nutrition professor Wayne Campbell, PhD.

Two recent studies from Purdue demonstrate the satisfying nature of lean protein. In one study, female participants who took in about 30% of their calories from lean protein felt more satisfied and maintained muscle mass better than another group that ate less protein.