4 Foods That Help You Stay Full for Longer

Maintaining a healthy weight can be really challenging when you continually feel hungry. It’s not easy to ignore hunger pangs, and all too often, the foods we reach for are unhealthy and unsatisfying, sometimes increasing our urge to eat rather than diminishing it.

At STL Medical Weight Loss, Joseph Moleski, DO, and Margaurette Walsh, PA-C, offer nutrition counseling to help women and men make smart food choices to energize their metabolism and keep hunger pangs at bay. Here, learn four common foods that can help reduce your appetite and put an end to uncomfortable cravings.

1. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a grain rich in soluble fiber that forms a gel-like consistency when it meets with liquid (including the liquids in your gut). Oatmeal contains a soluble fiber called beta-glucan. When it changes into that gel-like consistency, it slows the digestive process, preventing gastric emptying while helping you feel full longer.

Like other grains (particularly whole grains), oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate, meaning it takes longer to break down in your body than refined carbs like white pasta or sugary foods. Carbs give you energy, and because complex carbs release that energy more slowly, your body maintains a daddy energy level to help prevent food cravings and highs and lows associated with refined carb foods.

Finally, oatmeal contains a surprising amount of protein and important micronutrients like iron, calcium, and vitamin B6. Together, these micronutrients provide your body with plenty of energy to ward off cravings associated with nutrient deficiencies.

2. Greek yogurt

Dense and rich, Greek yogurt adds a creamy decadence to all sorts of foods, including smoothies, soups, and — yes — oatmeal. Greek yogurt contains significantly more protein than regular yogurt, helping you feel full longer by reducing your levels of “hunger hormones.”

As a dairy product, Greek yogurt is also extremely high in calcium, another micronutrient that helps maintain metabolism and regulate your appetite. Plus, some Greek yogurt contains microorganisms called probiotics that help keep your gut healthy, improving nutrient absorption to potentially reduce cravings.

3. Avocados

Like Greek yogurt, avocados also offer that creamy factor that can help you feel more satisfied with your meals. That delicious creaminess is partly due to the fruit’s fat content — but don’t worry: Monounsaturated fat, the “good” kind of fat that can help lower cholesterol. 

These fats also help regulate appetite hormones, reducing feelings of hunger. In fact, research shows that adding just half an avocado to meals significantly increases meal satisfaction while decreasing hunger and appetite. 

Avocados also contain plenty of fiber and are dense in vitamins and minerals. Plus, they’re easy to add to salads and sandwiches and blend well into smoothies and soups.

4. Nuts

Most people know nuts are a great source of protein, and they’re also “portable,” which means they’re a great snack to have on hand to keep hunger pangs at bay. They’re also rich in fiber to improve digestion and help you feel full longer.

Like avocados, nuts are high in healthy fats, making it easier to control your appetite and avoid unhealthy between-meal snacking. Those healthy fats can also improve your heart health — an added bonus. 

Finally, nuts are another source of important micronutrients like magnesium and vitamin E. Not only do these micronutrients keep your metabolism revving, but they help prevent cravings, too.

We can help you achieve your weight goals

Maintaining a healthy weight is great for your confidence but also extremely important for your health and wellness. To learn how we can tailor a weight management plan just for you, call or book an appointment online with STL Medical Weight Loss at our locations in Chesterfield, Missouri, or Dallas, Texas, today.