Have you ever consumed a couple of consecutive big meals just to feel hungry 40 minutes later?
Well, if this has happened to you, odds are you are not selecting the right foods with the appropriate satiety index.
In this article, I’ll explain the importance of high-satiety foods, and we’ll also give you a list of our 4 best picks in that category!
So, Why Is Satiety Important?
The modern-day market offers a variety or rather, an abundance of food products to choose from.
However, the thing is that the tastiest foods also happen to be more processed AND least satiating.
With poor nutrient profiles, these processed products simply satisfy your taste cravings, but hardly ever help you meet your actual nutritional needs.
When you’re not meeting your nutritional needs, well, your body keeps asking for more food by sending hunger signals, until you actually give the body what it needs.
That is to say that processed foods are NOT inherently fattening but instead, they make you eat a lot more which therefore leads to inevitable weight gain.
Being satiated for the longest time possible after each meal is important, as that means you have met your nutritional needs and your body has the resources to work with for the goal of sustaining healthy function.
What Actually Brings Satiety?
Every sensation or bodily signal in the body is closely related with the balance of certain hormones.
Specifically for appetite and satiety, leptin and ghrelin seem to be the two predominantly involved hormones.
The macronutrients you get from food, that are most effective in inducing the feeling of satiety, are protein & fat.
For this reason, it is of prime importance to meet your daily protein and fat needs, as they will play an essential role in how hungry you feel throughout the day.
Remember that a hungry mind won’t be able to focus on other, also important tasks you have.
Stay satiated!
The 4 Most Satiating Foods
Now without further ado, let’s have a look at the most satiating foods you can easily find in your local grocery store!
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Beef
As I mentioned, protein and fats from whole food sources are amongst the most satiating nutrients you can give to your body.
Beef and other red meats happen to be abundant of both nutrients, so including them in your nutrition plan is a good bet!
If you always wake up hungry, and that oatmeal & coffee breakfast full of sugar can’t satiate you, well, try a morning ribeye steak!
It works.
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Nuts
Cashews, almonds, walnuts and other nuts are so dense in energy that just a 100g of them can keep you full for hours on end.
Additionally, these tiny bites are full of essential fatty acids and other micronutrients that will not only keep you full, but also provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
Don’t be nuts, eat nuts.
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Eggs
If you are trying to establish a nutrition plan that is nutrient-dense enough to keep you full and healthy, eggs cannot be ignored!
Eggs are good as a standalone meal, or can be made an addition to a bigger meal, to make it complete!
Furthermore, they can be enjoyed in a variety of forms, such as an omelette, scrambled, or even over some rice in Japanese style!
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Potatoes
Though protein and fats are the most satiating macronutrients, the food with the HIGHEST satiety index contains mostly carbohydrates…
That’s right! Potatoes are, in fact, the most satisfying food a human can eat!
Try for yourself – Get a beef steak and cook up some potato mash and you will be full for at least 3 hours.
Final Thoughts
One of the most important aspects of your nutrition plan is to make it actually satiating!
If you constantly feel hungry, you are not using the right nutrition plan, regardless of what anyone tells you.
Make sure to include these 4 foods presented in this article and let us know how they affected your satiety and energy levels!