If you often reach for a snack right after eating a certain food, it’s not all in your head. Some foods can actually stimulate your appetite and cause you to feel hungry.
Foods that are mostly made up of refined carbohydrates and are high in sugar are usually the culprit, as they often lack satiating protein and fiber. The combination of high refined carbohydrates, low fiber, and protein can disrupt blood sugar levels and cause insatiable cravings and hunger.
we talked Destini Moody, RDN and Lena Bakovic, RD; two nutritionists top nutrition coaching, find out which foods are causing you to feel hungry. Instead of reaching for these unfulfilling foods, eat one of these 14 healthy, delicious snacks that will make you feel full.
We’re used to the temptation to wake up hungry and actively focus on the glistening goodness of a sugary scone while waiting for our morning beer at our favorite coffee shop. However, sweet pastries are some of the worst items to start the day and are not a complete breakfast.
“These baked goods are great for satisfying your taste buds, but they tend to be denser, so they’re less satisfying for your stomach. [simple] Moody says, “Without enough protein and fiber (which pastries tend to lack), these treats can spike blood sugar levels, causing an immediate rebound of plummeting blood sugar levels.” , ultimately lowering blood sugar levels. You feel hungry and tired, which is not ideal for the start of the holiday. “To reduce this effect, pair these sweet treats with protein like hard-boiled eggs or Greek yogurt,” recommends Moody.
Bagels and croissants are big and fluffy and look satisfying, but they are actually made to make you want to eat more. These delicious breakfast staples are made primarily from simple carbohydrates made from white flour. “When you consume simple carbohydrates that contain little or no fiber, [like bagels and croissants]”You may see a rapid rise in blood sugar levels followed by a sharp drop in blood sugar levels, which causes you to feel hungry sooner,” Bakovic says.
In a classic 2010 study, nutrition research They compared the feeling of fullness after eating a bagel with the feeling of fullness after eating an egg, and found that people felt more hungry and less satisfied after a bagel breakfast. Additionally, as a result, the bagel group ended up consuming more calories throughout his day. A similar study compared eggs and croissants and found that people who ate eggs for breakfast felt more full than those who ate croissants for breakfast. european nutrition journal.
If you eat bagels or croissants for breakfast, choose whole grains for complex carbohydrates and sustained energy, and pair them with proteins like eggs or lox for more staying power.
Yogurt may be the epitome of a superfood, but the type of yogurt you choose can determine its health profile. For example, a 6-ounce serving of fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt contains about 140 calories, 6 grams of protein, and 24 grams of sugar per piece. USDA. Instead, choose plain Greek yogurt or Skyle. These naturally contain 3x more protein. 17 grams of protein Only 6 grams of natural sugar comes from lactose.
“The high protein content in Greek yogurt helps you feel fuller longer,” Bakovich says. Add fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds to add fiber and healthy fats, two nutrients that help keep you full. “Greek yogurt is great as a snack option, breakfast ingredient, and as an addition to smoothies for a protein boost,” says Bakovich.
Eating a handful of potato chips or pretzels leaves you wanting more. And you can chalk it with salt. “Salt makes almost everything taste better because it makes you salivate,” Moody says. “When you produce more saliva, the receptors in your taste buds become more active, which makes the taste deeper.”
But there’s another reason why we crave salty foods. scientists formulate hypotheses Humans crave salt because it can trigger the release of dopamine, the hormone that makes us feel satisfied. “Salty snacks like potato chips and pretzels are high in refined carbohydrates and contain little fiber, which slows digestion, which can create a vicious cycle,” says Moody. This can make you hungry faster, causing you to reach for more chips, and the cycle continues.
We know that’s not a joke, but it’s worth remembering that alcohol can significantly increase hunger. “When your body processes alcohol, it releases glucose. [sugar] The liver may become less active and low blood sugar levels may occur. “In some cases, blood sugar levels can rise rapidly after consuming alcohol and then fall,” Bakovich says. This rapid rise and fall in blood sugar levels can make you crave snack foods. And the effects are usually even worse when combined with alcohol. Orange or Cranberry Juice or Soda “Sweet drinks can cause an increase in blood sugar levels,” Bakovich says.
Not only that, but alcohol can especially increase your cravings for carbohydrates. That’s because the process of removing alcohol from your body changes your blood sugar balance and depletes your glycogen, or carbohydrate, stores, Bakovic says. Carbohydrates are most easily converted into glucose in the body, which results in a craving for more carbohydrates. Now you know why I was craving pizza and fries at 3am last weekend.
High in sugar and low in protein, granola bars are just glorified candy bars. Seriously, some can contain over 15 grams of sugar. “Granola bars with low protein content don’t tend to keep you feeling full for long, because it’s the protein that’s effective at inducing satiety, or satiety,” says Moody.
“So when looking for a bar to snack on, choose one with around 20 grams of protein.” We especially love: built bar and quest bar This is because it is high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
While white rice isn’t bad for you, Moody says it’s better to choose brown or black rice more often. What makes rice white is the way it is processed. All white rice starts out as brown rice, which is then refined and polished to remove the outer brown coating called bran, Moody says. This gives white rice its pearly color and soft texture.
“The problem with this is that almost all of the fiber and B vitamins in rice are in the bran,” she says. “Vitamin B1, also known as thiamin, was discovered after the Imperial Japanese Navy switched their diet from brown rice to white rice, resulting in an epidemic of vitamin B1 deficiency. After many men died from beriberi, beriberi A very unpleasant disease that results from beriberi. Due to a lack of B1, the “cure” turned out to be to eat brown rice again. ”
Not only are the vitamins in bran important, but the fiber in bran also plays a role in controlling hunger. “Without fiber, eating a little white rice will cause your insulin to respond faster and your stomach to empty faster, which will make you feel hungrier in the long run,” says Moody. To tell.
White bread is similar to brown rice in that the bran has been removed from the wheat grains used to make the bread. “In the food industry, people sometimes go a step further and use potassium bromate or chlorine dioxide to bleach flour to remove its natural yellow color and make it whiter,” says Moody. Why was this done? This is purely for aesthetic reasons, or in other words, to make the bread look more beautiful to the consumer. But as a result, bread loses most of its nutrients and fiber, which do little to keep you feeling full. In fact, one slice of white bread contains less than 1 gram of fiber. USDA.
However, if you want a sandwich made on soft white bread, Moody recommends filling your sandwich with lean protein, like sliced deli turkey or chicken, and low-fat cheese. . You can also add fiber from vegetables like arugula, sprouts, and peppers. “This gives you compounds that slow down digestion and keep you feeling a little more satisfied until dinner time,” she says.
When it comes to cereals sweetened with sugar, think of the fruity or cocoa flavored boxes you dreamed of as a child. As you might have guessed, it’s usually made of sugar. That means it doesn’t contain nearly enough fiber and protein to make you feel full, Bakovic says. “So consuming these types of cereals can cause your blood sugar levels to spike, and then your blood sugar levels to drop quickly.”
If you like to eat cereal and want something that will help you avoid hunger pangs and keep your blood sugar levels more stable, choose a box with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. Another pro tip: pair your cereal with a high-protein milk like dairy or soy milk, or use Greek yogurt as a base instead.
Like many other carbohydrate sources, pasta can be found in both white (refined) and whole grain forms. And if your goal is to feel full, you’ll want to avoid white pasta. White pasta is made with refined flour and has much less fiber, vitamins, and minerals than carbohydrates from whole grain sources.
“Most pasta available in stores is made from refined flour sources that don’t contain much fiber, which can cause blood sugar fluctuations and hunger pangs soon after consumption,” Bakovic says. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates, such as whole-wheat pasta, take longer to digest, so they can keep you fuller longer.
Just because it’s made from fruit doesn’t mean it’s good for you. “Juice contains large amounts of sugar, but little to no fiber. This combination causes blood sugar levels to rise quickly, leading to subsequent increases in blood sugar levels.” It’s these rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels that contribute to a lack of feeling of fullness and satiety,” says Bakovich.
If you’re craving a fuller drink than water, try blending the fruits and vegetables you were planning to juice. That way, you’ll get more satiating fiber in the mix.
Potatoes are amazing at promoting satiety, but their effectiveness is greatly diminished when they’re fried. “This is because they’re high in refined carbohydrates and sodium, which satisfies the taste but doesn’t make you feel hungry,” says Moody. “If you’re only eating fries if they don’t have any protein or fiber in them, you might end up craving them as soon as the bag runs out.”
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