Top most filling foods

Author: Mikhail Ziborov - author of the site makefitness.pro.
2023-10-17

How do we know when we are full? A signal simply comes from our body indicating that it’s enough and we don’t need any more: we just feel it. But how does the body understand that it is full? Why does the body not feel full after consuming a 500-calorie chocolate bar, while a full meal of the same 500 calories provides that sense of fullness?

The key lies in the mass of the foods eaten: the heavier the food, the more filling it is. Our body does not count calories. However, it does understand that it is full when food presses against the stomach walls. I won’t delve into the nuances regarding the hunger and satiety hormones – ghrelin and leptin. After all, the primary factor in satiety is still the mass of the consumed food. Only afterward do hormones take effect.

Healthy recipes for various sweets like candies, pancakes, pastries, and baked goods based on protein can be found in our Telegram channel. And even more. Check it out for yourself, it’s free.

Foods That Provide Satiety

In fact, any food will give you satiety if you eat enough of it to press against the walls of the stomach. This pressure sends a signal to the brain that there’s enough food, and you can stop eating.

The problem is that if you eat some rolls weighing around 400 grams and a full meal also weighing 400 grams, the caloric value between the two consumed will differ.

The calories from the rolls will be significantly higher than from a regular meal. And although in both cases we are full, the situation with the rolls will lead to weight gain as we consumed excess calories.

According to scientists, protein-rich foods provide the best satiety: more protein means longer-lasting fullness. Foods high in fiber provide moderate satiety, while carbohydrate-rich foods lead to weaker satiety. Fats, although the most calorie-dense nutrient, provide the least prolonged feeling of fullness.

If you are faced with a choice between carbohydrate-rich food and fatty food, choose the carbohydrate-rich one – it will satisfy your hunger for a slightly longer period.

However, we don’t eat purely carbohydrates, fats, or proteins. Our meals are always mixed. But if we emphasize a certain nutrient in our portions, we may reap all the benefits or downsides of that nutrient. I’ll remind you:

Proteins and fiber provide the longest-lasting feeling of fullness.

The Most Filling Foods

In a certain study, scientists divided foods into six categories:
- Fruits;
- Baked goods;
- Snacks;
- Carbohydrate-rich foods;
- Protein-rich foods;
- Dry breakfast cereals.

Satiety was assessed over two hours at 15-minute intervals. The caloric value of each food group was set at 240 calories: regardless of what the subjects ate, they received 240 calories from any food. Regular white bread was taken as the standard of satiety: foods were evaluated based on whether they provided better or worse satiety compared to bread.

The results of the study: The highest satiety score was recorded for boiled potatoes (323 +/- 51%), which was seven times higher than the lowest result in the satiety system – croissant (47 +/- 17%). Most foods (76%) had a satiety score greater than or equal to that of white bread.

Thus, the most filling foods are those that contain few calories but have a large weight. Foods with low weight and high caloric density, i.e., energy-dense foods, provide the least hunger satisfaction.

So, the most filling foods are:

1. Vegetables and fruits (high in fiber)
2. Grains, cereals (high in fiber)
3. Meat and poultry (high in protein)
4. Fish (high in protein)
5. Dairy and fermented dairy products (high in protein)
6. Legumes (protein, fiber).

If you combine these foods, you will ensure prolonged satiety. This is the foundation of the diet we developed specifically for people who want to lose weight and build muscle mass. The results of our friends can be seen in the photos linked.

And even if you have eaten poorly or consumed non-filling foods due to haste, you can always have a healthy snack. Even at work with a busy schedule. A regular protein shake fits the bill: it provides satiety (protein), is easy to prepare (in a shaker), and can be taken anywhere (it doesn’t take up much space).