People trying to lose weight often face many obstacles, the most common being appetite and hunger. Appetite refers to the want of food while hunger is the physical pains associated with lack of food. Either way, the desire to eat can sabotage the most disciplined dieter. However, it is possible to use certain foods to combat appetite.
Soup
To reduce appetite, try a bowl of soup. Dr. Barbara Rolls, author of "The Volumetrics Eating Plan," encourages a soup appetizer to decrease appetite before a meal and therefore consume fewer calories. In November 2007, Rolls and her team compared one group eating a low-calorie soup 15 minutes before lunch to a control group without soup. Rolls concluded that consuming soup reduced calorie intake at the following meal and is an effective strategy to reduce appetite.
Fiber
The American Dietetic Association recommends consuming 14g of fiber per 1,000 calories per day, or 25g for women and 38g for men. In practice, Americans eat 12 to 17g of fiber per day. Fiber offers many health benefits, including appetite suppression. In October 2007, the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto studied the mechanisms behind insoluble fiber and weight reduction. It concluded that a serving of high-fiber cereal high in insoluble fiber suppressed appetite, and therefore calorie intake, in meals consumed over an hour later.
Fruit
Fruit creates a feeling of fullness and helps reduce appetite. The journal Appetite published a study in April 2009, examining which form of fruit was most effective. It tested responses to whole apples, applesauce, apple juice without fiber and apple juice with fiber. The whole apple created greater feelings of satiety and resulted in fewer calories consumed at the test meal.
Skim Milk
Milk and other dairy products have been associated with weight loss and maintenance. The School of Medicine at University of Western Australia studied the effects of skim milk on appetite. It reported in July 2009 that consuming skim milk with breakfast compared to fruit juice reduced appetite and that fewer calories were consumed at lunch.
Pine Nuts
Pine nuts are a flavorful additive to many dishes and have been shown to act as an appetite suppressant. Lipids in Health and Disease published a study in March 2008 examining how pine nuts suppress appetite. It concluded that the fatty acids in pine nuts increased satiety hormones and reduced subsequent calorie intake.
References
- Appetite: Soup Preloads in a Variety of Forms Reduce Meal Energy Intake
- American Dietetic Association: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber
- CDC: Vital and Health Statistics: Fiber Intake in Grams: United States, 1988-94
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Insoluble Cereal Fiber Reduces Appetite and Short-Term Food Intake and Glycemic Response to Food Consumed 75 Minutes Later by Healthy Men
- Appetite: The Effect of Fruit in Different Forms on Energy Intake and Satiety at a Meal
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Skim Milk Compared With a Fruit Drink Acutely Reduces Appetite and Energy Intake in Overweight Men and Women
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