Satiety levels of food. A term I came to know about when I was on my weight loss journey almost a decade back. (It’s a never-ending struggle though!) Even after having food, I felt starving to such an extent that I would gobble up everything and anything in sight.
This resulted in me getting away from my goal with every passing day. Then I discussed this issue with one of my friends who is a nutritionist and she told me about the satiety levels of food. A whole new world dawned on me. It totally changed my perspective on eating food. Nevertheless, I hit my target weight faster.
What is the meaning of satiety levels of food?
Have you ever noticed that after a certain kind of meal, you feel full for a longer time than the others? This is satiety that you are experiencing and that particular type of food is having higher levels of satiety.
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In 1995, a few researchers at the University of Sydney carried out an experiment. Different participants ate different foods and gave their feedback after 2 hours about their feeling of being full. Based on the results, they put together a satiety index.
High-satiety foods for weight loss
If you are on the weight loss journey, then I won’t let you do the same mistake I did. I will give you a list of foods that have a higher satiety index, which will make you curb hunger and feel full for longer.
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If you follow the list of high-satiety foods mentioned below, you will be consuming a lot lesser calories, as your portion size and mid-meal snacking will greatly reduce.
1. Potatoes
Boil it.
Bake it.
Gobble it up…!!
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And you will feel full for a far longer time.
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Weight Watchers demonize potatoes since a long time. Although, in the satiety index study that was discussed earlier, boiled and baked potatoes topped the list with a score of 323. Hold your horses, it does not give you the liberty to have a large portion of french fries as they have a relatively low score of 116.
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Potatoes have starch, vitamin C, potassium, water, and many other healthful nutrients. A moderate amount of protein and fibers and almost no amount of fats. According to a few studies, potatoes satiate your hunger for a long is because of the presence of an appetite-suppressing protein called proteinase inhibitor 2 (PI2).
2. Eggs
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Sunny sides up or boiled eggs are the most-coveted breakfast. Think of the most protein-enriched food and eggs pop up in front of your eyes. They are a weight watcher’s best friend.
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Eggs are an excellent source of protein, minerals, and vitamins. They help in reducing hunger for an extended period.
3. Lean meat and fish
Fish tops the satiety index amount the protein-rich food. Whereas red meat stands second. As they are high in protein and low in saturated fat, they are your perfect meal choice in your weight loss journey. It also included vegetarian proteins like soy on the list.
4. High-fiber foods
Here I would like to put a question in front of you.
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Do you feel full for long after having a bowl of store-bought cornflakes or overnight oats? The answer would surely be the latter one. It is because oats are rich in fiber. Not only it has a high satiety level, but it also helps in controlling cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
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Fiber-rich foods include:
- Oats
- Legumes
- Whole-wheat bread
- Rye
- Barley
- Certain fruits like oranges and bananas
- Certain vegetables like carrots and beetroot
5. Nuts
Whenever I feel hungry in between meals, my quick fix is a handful of almonds or walnuts. This keeps me energetic and satiated for a longer duration.
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Nuts are good at bursting the hunger bubble. They have a level of protein and unsaturated fats. These are healthy fats. According to one research, in order to get the most out of the satiety level of nuts, it is really important to chew nuts properly prior to swallowing them.
Take away
The satiety level of foods with higher values has certain characteristics like they are high in protein/ fibers and having a low energy density. Thus, they help you lose weight and remain trimmed for years to come.
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The point worth considering here is that these foods have to be whole, single-ingredient foods. Try to stay away from highly processed foods as much as you can.