Portions and the feeling of satiety: what role does fiber play in appetite control?

Fiber, or dietary fiber, is a crucial component of healthy nutrition, serving as the main tool for mechanical and chemical control of satiety. Foods rich in fiber, such as fresh vegetables, greens, legumes, whole-grain cereals, and fruits, require more thorough chewing. This increases meal time and allows satiety hormones enough time to reach the brain before you manage to eat extra food.

Entering the stomach, soluble fiber absorbs water and turns into a gel-like substance that increases in volume and fills the space. This creates a physical sensation of fullness, which is transmitted via vagus nerve receptors straight to the brain, signaling that the body is full. Insoluble fiber, in turn, stimulates bowel motility and supports a healthy microflora, which also indirectly affects appetite regulation and sugar cravings.

To make fiber the basis of your diet and forget about the constant feeling of hunger, introduce it gradually:

Such simple changes not only stabilize blood sugar levels, preventing sharp spikes in appetite, but also provide the body with energy for the whole day without heaviness in the stomach.