When you want to shed those pounds ASAP, it’s imperative that you start eating the right foods. You know, foods that actually work for your goals. Foods that don’t bloat you up with calories or tempt you to eat more than your body needs. Read on to find out what your best options are when it comes to taming your voracious appetite.
1. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is known to be rich in protein; a 245 gram serving can hold up to 8.5 grams of protein. Greek yogurt is made by straining normal yogurt to rid it of the liquid part (whey). This concentrates the nutrients into a smaller volume, while making the yogurt thicker and creamier.
If you’re wondering, protein is the secret behind Greek yogurt’s appetite-busting capabilities. Research suggests that protein has a higher satiating potential than carbs and most fats. It also encourages the body to burn unnecessary fat stocks.
Now, unless you’re lactose-intolerant, introducing Greek yogurt into your diet should be easy — just drink it in place of your regular snacks. Consider mixing it up with nuts, smoothies or fruit to bump up the satiety factor.
2. Dark Chocolate
Keeping your appetite in check doesn’t have to include ditching chocolate. Well, not all chocolate. There’s one variety that’ll let you have your cake and eat it.
Dark chocolate contains the same ingredients as milk chocolate (milk, sugar, cocoa butter and cacao). However, it prefers to keep the sugar content low while increasing that of cacao. This gives it a bittersweet taste that’s said to help in suppressing appetite. Dark chocolate also contains steric acid, a substance that slows down the rate of digestion.
3. Grapefruit
A study conducted at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego, CA, found that grapefruit promotes weight loss when eaten before meals. Subjects who ate half a grapefruit prior to each meal lost 1.6 kg, or 3.5 pounds on average. Grapefruit can also help keep your appetite in check by filling you up with fiber. Fiber works by slowing down digestion, thus keeping premature cravings at bay. It also improves digestive health.
Like most other fiber-rich foods, grapefruit is chock full of nutrients. It packs essential minerals, protein, and vitamins A and C. Including grapefruit in your diet will thus get you more bang for your nutritional buck.
4. Chia & Flax Seeds
Chia seeds are rich in fiber and protein; a one-ounce serving of chia seeds carries almost 10 grams of fiber, and 4.69 g of protein. Both are solid appetite suppressors. Likewise, flaxseed has two ingredients that’ll keep you fuller for longer: mucilage and omega-3 fats. Mucilage is a water-soluble fiber that regulates the speed at which your stomach empties. Omega-3s work pretty much like protein (taking long to digest).
5. Good Fats
It’s hard to beat fat when it comes to appetite suppressant foods. Some fats trigger the small intestines to release a compound that wards off hunger pangs. Others supply energy to your body, thus reducing the urge to snack on carbs. But how do you tell between good and bad fats?
READ: 5 Surprising Fatty Foods That Can Trim Your Waistline
All good fats are unsaturated (i.e. their molecules aren’t saturated with hydrogen atoms, which means they stay in liquid form at room temperature). Most are sourced from plants (avocado, nuts, olives, sunflower, canola etc). However, good fats can also be derived from animal sources (oily fish, eggs, dairy).
6. Apples
Apples are rich in water and pectin, a soluble fiber commonly found in ripe fruit. Pectin works much like regular fiber, keeping you full between meals and improving gut health. It’s also said to help in lowering levels of cholesterol — a handsome bonus when you’re trying to lose weight.
7. Coffee
Here’s another good reason to look forward to your coffee break: caffeine works as a natural appetite suppressant. It’s been studied that having a cup of coffee four hours before your meals can keep your appetite hormones in check. Just be careful with how much you drink throughout the day — too much caffeine will cause you sleepless nights.
8. Ginger
Ginger is known to have a stimulating effect on the digestive system. A study conducted in 2012 showed that men who consumed ginger during breakfast experienced less hunger pangs over a 3-hour period. The report does acknowledge that more research is needed for confirmation. Don’t let that keep you from trying this zesty rhizome nonetheless.
9. Water
Drink your 8 glasses every day, and your appetite will never go astray. Water’s pretty effective as an appetite suppressant – it makes you feel full without bringing in any calories. Start taking a glass of water before every meal, and you’ll notice that you’re no longer inclined to eat as much as you did before. Water can also help you curb unnecessary snacking; try drinking a glassful whenever the urge creeps up.
Have any appetite suppressant foods you would like to share? Leave a comment below!
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