20 Healthy Foods That Can Keep You Full Longer

Published on April 13, 2024

Losing weight is like walking a tightrope. You’ve gotta eat healthy, keep those calories in check, and move your body in ways you enjoy, be it hitting the gym or doing your favorite activity. But, the real secret sauce? Knowing just the right foods to munch on. These foods help you stay in that magic zone of eating less without making you feel like you’re about to starve or snap at someone. **Feeling full and happy** is the key here, without the constant tug-of-war with hunger and mood swings.

With the 20 healthy foods that we have to offer you, we will help you achieve just that! By combining these foods, you will be able to enjoy their great taste and forget about feeling hungry, while you will be losing weight at the same time.

20 Healthy foods that will satisfy your hunger longer and better!

The following list of foods will help you combine and create delicious, healthy, and most important – filling meals for you and your family. The following foods are a great choice for anyone who is looking for a way to eat healthier, or lose weight since all of the foods that we have to discuss today make sure that with the help of little calories and many nutrients you are staying healthy, filled, and satisfied!

1. Oats

Oats are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which makes them the perfect filling food to add to your weekly breakfast menu. It has been ranked third in the list of foods ranked according to their satiety index. In addition to the fiber, oats contain very little calories which makes them the perfect breakfast food. According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, people who ate oatmeal for their breakfast ate fewer calories during lunch in addition to feeling fuller and satisfied after their meal (1).

2. Soup

Despite the popular belief, soups are more than a light, simple dish. When prepared right, soups are able to satisfy your hunger and reduce the number of calories that you intake through the next course of the meal (2). Science says that soups might be even more filling than solid foods made from the same ingredients that have been used to prepare the soup in the first place (3). This is yet another great reason why you should never say no to a hot, delicious soup. However, do avoid creamy soups as they can contain more calories than the simple broth- and stock-based soup.

3. Carrots

Not only will carrots satisfy your hunger, by introducing a great amount of fiber to your body, they will also introduce a great amount of Vitamin A to your diet. And research says that Vitamin A is able to do much more than preserve your food eyesight. Vitamin A has been found helpful in preventing and treating abdominal obesity (4). So if you are interested in losing that annoying belly fat, adding a few fresh baby carrots as your daily snack might prove to be quite helpful!

4. Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt has more to offer except its great taste. It is known to be a great protein source, containing around 11 gr of protein which your body will use to satisfy its hunger in the long run. Adding some fresh fruit to your Greek yogurt will serve as a great snack, plus it will reduce the number of calories that you intake throughout the day (5, 6).

5. Kale

Kale is referred to as a superfood, and for a good reason, that is. Kale contains high amounts of antioxidants that make sure that there are no free radicals that threaten to harm our health. With just two cups of raw kale, you get around 4.8 gr of fiber, which is another reason why this leafy vegetable is so popular (7). If you are interested in losing weight without feeling hungry all the time, kale is the food that needs to find its place on your shopping list.

6. Eggs

We cannot talk about filling foods and not mention eggs, can we? Not with their high amounts of proteins we cannot. Eggs are the perfect source of all of the nine essential amino acids, in addition to being incredibly nutrient-dense food. Eggs as well, are the perfect breakfast food, as it has been scientifically proven that eating eggs for breakfast reduces the calorie intake in the following 36 hours (8).

7. Avocado

According to a study published in the Nutrition Journal, eating half an avocado along with each meal can help satisfy your hunger for hours (9). Avocados are also a great source of healthy fats that you should not miss out on (10). However, avocados are known to be high in fats, which is why it is important to watch your portions. Eating half an avocado would do the trick.

8. Berries

Choose from the wild variety of berries – from strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries to give a little taste to your healthy desserts and snacks. Berries are suggested to have satisfying amounts of fiber, especially the one that we love the most, known as pectin. Pectin has been scientifically proven to slow down the emptying of the stomach, increasing the feelings of fullness in the meantime (11, 12).

9. Chia seeds

What is hiding behind this superfood are great amounts of protein, fiber, and very little calories. Chia seeds have been suggested to be able to absorb 10-12 times their weight in water and with that, provide a great feeling of fullness throughout the rest of the day (13). Reduce your appetite and satisfy your hunger efficiently by adding a serving or two of chia seeds to your oatmeal, soups, salads, and smoothies.

10. Popcorn

If you were looking for a great, filling snack to replace your usual choices of potato chips and sweets, then you are in the right place. Popcorn has been estimated to satisfy hunger than most traditional snacks, including potato chips and chocolate, thanks to its high-fiber density and low-calorie content (14)! Make your own, homemade popcorn and be careful while adding salt to prepare a low-cost, low-calorie, healthy snack for you and your family.

11. Fish

Another great high-protein food is fish. There is also the fact that fish is one of the few natural sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are one of the essential fatty acids that we have to intake from food. Omega-3 fatty acids have multiple beneficial effects on our health, but what most importantly, they have the ability to reduce the fillings of hunger (15). You might not have guessed it, but fish is ranked second on the list of foods ranked according to their satiety.

12. Cottage cheese

A study published back in 2015 revealed that cottage cheese and eggs have a similar filling effect (16). That should not come as a surprise knowing how both cottage cheese and eggs are high in protein and low in calories which is just the thing that we are looking for when trying to lose weight. One cup of cottage cheese contains around 28 gr of protein and only 163 calories, which is amazing if you ask us (17)! Do add this great protein source to your daily menu as often as possible.

13. Legumes

Peas, beans, and lentils can be incredibly filling thanks to the fact that all of them contain high-protein and high-fiber content. It has been scientifically proven that consuming a high-protein meal that contained any type of legumes, such as peas and beans, is reducing the hunger and increasing the feelings of fullness (18).

14. Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the rare good carbs that our body craves. Plus, broccoli also contains high amounts of fiber, and with that, it aids the digestion and reduces the hunger efficiently. Not to mention the fact that broccoli is also a superfood that is packed with many antioxidants, in addition to being able to fight cancer, prevent and treat high blood sugar levels, and constipation (19).

15. Lean Meat

Lean meat is a great high-protein source which is not only delicious, but it is also highly filling. And it is all thanks to its high amounts of proteins. We highly recommend including protein in each and every meal throughout the day, and when it comes to lunch and dinner, do choose some delicious lean meat to satisfy your protein requirements. One study found that people who are lunch that contained high-protein meat ate fewer calories at dinner (20).

16. Boiled potatoes

We have reached to the superstar of all foods regarding their satiety. Boiled potatoes have an estimated satiety index of 323, which is the highest satiety index of all foods tested (21). Containing almost no fat, moderate amounts of protein and fiber, potatoes contain high amounts of water and healthy carbs. But do watch out – do not harm your weight loss results by consuming fries that is definitely not the same as consuming boiled potatoes which are highly recommended!

17. Nuts

Another great snack idea is nuts. Choose almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios, and much more, to snack on in between meals to ensure that you are not feeling hungry. Nuts contain a great blend of proteins, healthy fats, and fiber all in one, here to serve your daily needs of all of these important nutrients! No to mention their ability to satisfy your hunger without a problem!

18. Apples

Apples have a pretty good satiety index to show off, with it being around 200, which is not bad at all. Choose fresh apples that you will consume, preferably on an empty stomach, whole, not in the form of fruit juice to ensure that your hunger is satisfied for a longer period of time. And when you do choose fruit juices, do prepare them on your own, instead of buying ones that surely contain high amounts of processed sugars.

19. Watermelon

Another great fruit choice is watermelon. As you know, watermelon contains high amounts of water, essential nutrients such as Vitamin A and Vitamin C, and little to no calories. Refresh your body and stay hydrated with the help of the tasty watermelon in the middle of those hot, summer days, while you are satisfying your hunger at the same time!

20. Hummus

And last but not least important, we have the delicious hummus, which you are encouraged to prepare yourself at home. Chickpeas are no exception when it comes to being a great fiber source, the same as beans are. This makes hummus yet another great filling food that you should know about. Slice some fresh apples, cucumbers, and carrots that will fit your hummus perfectly to ensure a great taste and even better weight loss results!

Conclusion

Today’s list of healthy foods contains foods for each and everyone’s taste. From something sweeter such as apples and watermelon to high-protein foods such as fish and lean meat, their great food choices will do what they came here to do – and that is to efficiently satisfy your hunger and allow you to lose weight without you even noticing! Give these delicious foods a chance and add them more often to your weekly meal plan. You will be surprised by the results that they have to bring you.

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