Samir Becic and the Health Fitness Revolution team have put together a list of the 10 most filling foods. Even for the healthiest of eaters, good intentions can fly out the window when you’re hungry. If you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, finding the right kind of foods — healthy foods that will fill you up for the longest amount of time — is essential. High-protein foods, high-fiber foods, and healthy fats are all on our top 10 list of most filling foods:
- Start with a Soup: Many studies show that if you have soup before a meal, you’re going to eat less. That’s vital to help manage weight and enjoy eating out. Opt for a broth-based soup full of high-fiber foods rather than a creamy, salty concoction. If you make a soup at home, you can freeze it and eat it before you go out to eat.
- Here’s why vegetables are key to feeling full longer: research shows people eat the same weight of food every day- this fact is crucial to your weight management strategy. When you get hungry, eat vegetables — which are low in calories — in place of higher-calorie food items.
- Oatmeal: a high-fiber food that can help you feel full longer and manage weight. Oatmeal is very high in fiber, and it is also falls into the category of low-energy density- meaning it is a slow burning carb that won’t spike your blood sugar levels- perfect for sustained energy.
- Snack on Berries: They are healthy, have a low glycemic index, and satisfy sweet cravings.
- Eat with some Dip: Snacking on veggies is a classic strategy to manage weight, and you’ll feel full longer if you allow yourself a little savory dip to go along with those carrot and zucchini sticks. The flavor and the fat will keep you feeling full longer and can help your body absorb nutrients like beta-carotene more effectively. Try a little salad dressing, or whip up a batch of creamy, delicious hummus.
- Enjoy some Lean Protein: Foods high in protein will help satisfy your hunger. In fact, a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet is an effective strategy to manage weight for some people. Animal and plant proteins all add to your sense of fullness.
- Eat Beans and Legumes: Lentils and chickpeas are nutritious, filling high-fiber foods that can be included in a number of different types of meals and healthy snacks. Because beans can add up to a lot of calories if you eat more than a serving or two, you might want to combine them with vegetables and whole grains for a more complex meal that will keep you feeling full longer.
- Sweet Potatoes (with the skin!): eat some sweet potato wedges cooked in the oven for an added boost of potassium! It is a complex carbohydrate that will keep you fuller for longer.
- Snack on some Nuts: Filling, but not sweet snacks such as pistachios, almonds, pecans, nuts, and seeds — all have plenty of healthy fats in them — will help you feel full longer because of their fat and protein content. For the same reasons, you have to keep the serving size reasonable, 6 to 12 nuts.
- Canned Salmon: Canned salmon is a quick, easy, and convenient protein source. Just one small 3.5-ounce can of pink salmon offers up an impressive 20 grams of protein. It’s also packed with beneficial omega-3 fats and is way lower in mercury than canned tuna. Try topping this on salads or combine with chopped veggies.
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