You’ve probably experienced this before: some foods, calorie for calorie, simply make you feel more full than others.
If you’re counting calories, you really want those calories to count. One way to look at this is to measure a food’s satiety, the term nutritionists use for the the feeling of fullness after eating a food.
You could spend months reading up on the the topic of satiety, but a quick rule: Foods that rank highly for their satiety tend to be high in protein, high in fiber, high volume (they contain a lot of water or air), or some combination of these three. And while there may be no such thing as a truly empty calorie, we regret to report that pastries and candy are at the very bottom of the list.
Looking to fill up fast? Here are five filling foods to consider:
Potatoes
Yes, carb counters, potatoes aren’t on the top of everyone’s list — but compared to other high-carb foods, they’re by far the most filling. In fact, potatoes rank at the very top of the satiety index, partly because of their volume and fiber content, but also because they contain a protein that has been linked to appetite suppression. That side of mashed potatoes might just help you eat less of everything else.
Fish
Among high-protein foods, fish is the king of fullness. Eggs, beef, chicken — none of them match the satiety score of fish. Not only is a fish dinner going to leave you feeling satisfied, it’s a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. They’re also a key part of the Mediterranean diet, a favorite among nutritionists for overall health benefits.
Oatmeal
In the market for a breakfast that will carry you all the way to lunch? It’s time to give oatmeal another shot. It’s low-calorie, high fiber, extremely filling and super affordable. No longer the murky porridge of the past, breakfast restaurants have been reviving oatmeal with modern twists: adding seeds, grains and nuts, and boosting the sweetness with coconut, raisins and high-fiber fruits like apples.
Beans & Lentils
You don’t have to go straight to meat if you’re looking for high protein meals that rank high on the satiety index: try beans, lentils, chickpeas, and their other legume friends. If you’re not excited about the idea of a huge plate of beans, think of all of the ways beans and other legumes come in some of your favorite foods: bean burritos, black bean soup, baked beans, hummus and falafel, lentil curries, three-bean chili.
Eggs
Do you think of eggs as only a breakfast food? Time to crack out of your shell. Eggs are not only a high-protein food, they rank highly on the satiety index, and there’s ways to work them into any meal: quiches, frittatas, egg-salad sandwiches, a poached egg on pretty much anything. And the next time you’re looking for a snack at a coffee shop, skip the pastry case (croissants rank at the very bottom of the satiety index) and snag a hardboiled egg instead.
