Portions and satiety: which foods keep you full longer?

In order to successfully control your sense of satiety and avoid sudden hunger pangs during the day, it is critically important to choose your food wisely. Planning your diet in advance helps build proper eating habits and gets rid of the extra stress associated with decision-making at the stove or in the store.

A practice to maintain a stable level of satiety is to plan two or three basic meals for the coming week and make small pre-preps. When you already have cooked grains, baked meat, or chopped fresh vegetables in your fridge, assembling a balanced and satisfying plate becomes much easier and faster.

The list of foods that keep the body full longer includes sources of complete protein and foods rich in plant fiber. For example, chicken breast, fish, lentils, beans, and whole-grain porridges take significantly longer to digest than fast carbs, providing a prolonged supply of energy to the blood.

Adding healthy fats in the form of unrefined oils, seeds, or nuts also slows down the digestion process and prolongs the feeling of fullness after a meal. Combining these components in every meal eliminates the need for unhealthy sweet snacks between main meals.