Research done by the National Institutes of Health suggests that some foods may actually trigger the hunger control in the body and make a person feel full. The food group that produced the phenomenon in mice contained thylakoids, the membranes found in plants that produce photosynthesis, including all fruits and vegetables. The mice showed lower food intake, less weight gain and body fat than the control group. These and other scientific studies, in addition to a plethora of anecdotes, suggest the best way to lose weight may be to eat more foods that suppress appetite, rather than to refrain from eating
Vegetables
Most successful diet plans include plenty of fruits and vegetables--plant foods that are high in thylakoids. In addition to filling up the stomach with roughage, plant foods can help to lower cholesterol that clings to fat cells. Many vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage, actually use more calories than they leave in the body because of the energy needed for the chewing and digestive processes. Many diets, including the Nutri-System plan that provides pre-packed meals, requires dieters to eat a salad every day to suppress the appetite and to engage the digestive juices and increase metabolism. A number of diets refer to vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, celery and bok choy as "free" foods, since they do not add calories to the menu.
Drinks
Water is one of the best appetite suppressants, reports Natural News. Drinking an eight-ounce glass of water when hunger pangs first strike can stave off the cries for food from the stomach immediately. Often the hunger will disappear in 10 minutes. Vegetable or chicken broth also can help to suppress the appetite by filling the stomach with very few calories. Many brands contain only 20 calories in an entire quart. Blended drinks such as protein shakes, fat-free milk shakes and soy-based drinks can help to suppress the appetite for hours. When blended with fat-free flavored protein powder or real fruit, shakes can be appetizing as well. Writers at Natural News add guar gum and xanthan gum to shakes to thicken them up to the consistency of pudding.
Fruit
Bulky fruit such as apples, pears and watermelon are great appetite suppressors. When eaten raw they fill the stomach quickly and add very few calories. While taking in the vitamins from fruit sources, in addition to consuming additional thylakoids, a dieter is also helping to suppress the appetite for long periods of time as the fruit is digested. While an apple contains 80 to 150 calories, it is also very difficult to overeat. The stomach will be full by the time a person gets to the second or third piece of fruit.
Other Foods
High fiber foods are best eaten for breakfast. The complex carbohydrates are more difficult for the body to break down and can suppress the appetite for up to six hours. Proteins, such as those found in nuts, also take longer for the body to digest and will help to maintain a full feeling longer than other foods. Meat, legumes, soy and eggs are other proteins that provide good meal alternatives to stave off hunger and food cravings.
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