If you’re like most people, you’re probably fighting a constant struggle with your weight. Whether you want to lose weight, gain weight or just maintain whatever your current weight is, dieting is a tricky business with pronounced consequences.
Luckily, if you like to eat, some foods can help fight hunger attacks and support your weight goals. When you aren’t hungry, you can focus more on eating nutritious foods in the right quantities to reach your desired results.
Here are the top 10 foods to try:
10. Soup
As part of your lunch or dinner, enjoy a cup of low-calorie soup. On average, you’ll eat about 134 fewer calories at each meal and save a total of 684 calories for the day.
9. Apples
Apples of all varieties and types help suppress hunger for several reasons. First, apples are filled with soluble fiber and pectin, which help you feel full. Apples also regulate your glucose and boost your energy level. Finally, apples take a lot of chewing, which slows you down and gives your body more time to realize you’re no longer hungry. Plus, they just taste good!
Just a handful of almonds is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamin E, and magnesium. Almonds have also been shown to increase feelings of fullness in people and help with weight management, according to a study presented at the 2006 Obesity Society Annual Scientific Meeting. So what are you waiting for? Nosh on almonds for your next healthy snack!
Full of fiber and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, avocados suppress appetite when eaten in moderation. In fact, the fats in these little guys send signals to your brain that tell your stomach that it’s full!
Love chocolate but have no self-control with it? Try slowly savoring a piece or two of dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa the next time you crave it. A little dark chocolate can help lower cravings because its bitter taste signals the body to decrease appetite. Not to mention that the stearic acid in dark chocolate helps slow digestion to help you feel fuller longer. If dark chocolate is too bitter for you, try having a piece with a cup of black coffee—it’ll bring out the sweetness!
Beans can fill you up quite quickly and about a cup is enough to leave you full for a long period of time. The fiber also helps to keep you full, which beans have in abundance. The fiber in beans contains a digestive hormone that works to reduce your appetite.
4. Cayenne Pepper
This spice has been shown to reduce appetite and due to its heat, it can help you burn calories when you eat it. This makes it a great spice to add ot foods to reduce your overall appetite.
The protein in eggs is an excellent source of appetite suppression. The lean protein in eggs can keep you full for a long period. Protein is one of the leaders when it comes to appetite suppression, as it keeps you feeling full longer. Eggs for breakfast can help control your appetite through the morning.
Celery is a low-density food and this humble vegetable can actually control your appetite. It only has 8 calories per stick but it takes a lot of chewing to digest it. You get more bite per calorie and it feels like you are eating more when you aren’t.
1. Water
Could taming your appetite be as easy as drinking an extra glass or two of water? Science says yes! In one August 2010 study, people who drank two glasses of water before a meal ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories at the meal than those who didn’t drink water. Love that H2O!
