Your body knows when you are hungry and when you are full, but sometimes, you might want to eat when you're not hungry. You might even want to continue to eat after you are full. A few changes to your diet might help you to control your appetite and feel fuller for longer.
Appetite
As a natural defense mechanism against starvation, you are programmed to seek food when you feel hungry. When your stomach becomes empty, according to Bonnie J. Brehm, PhD, RD, of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, your stomach contracts and uses nerves and a messenger called ghrelin to send a signal to your brain that you are hungry. In addition, your blood sugar levels drop and your body craves food to raise those levels. After you eat, the stomach expands and sends signals to tell your brain that you are no longer hungry. Your body is more satisfied with your blood sugar levels and you stop eating.
Other Signals
Your body's ability to detect and prevent hunger are only part of what makes you want to eat, however. Brehm adds that cold temperatures tend to make people feel hungry, as do the smell or sight of food. If you have a tendency to eat too quickly or to continue eating after your body is already full, you may consume excess calories and gain weight. Controlling your appetite could keep you from overeating, and there are several appetite-suppressing methods to try.
Flavor and Fiber
Brehm says to focus on foods that are high in flavor and fiber. Flavorful foods help you to experience a variety of tastes, which may trigger a satiety response from your body more quickly than bland foods. Fiber helps you to feel full more quickly and keeps you satisfied for longer periods. Additionally, she says to drink water, which contains no calories, with and between meals to keep your stomach full so that it does not send out hunger signals.
Low-Glycemic Foods
The Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center at Oregon State University says that your blood sugar levels rise and drop more significantly when you eat high-glycemic foods. For this reason, your hunger is more severe after eating these foods, increasing your appetite and causing you to eat more food overall. The Information Cnter says that, of 16 studies on this topic, 15 have shown that consuming low-glycemic index foods delays the return of hunger, makes people feel more satisfied and causing them to eat less than those who consume high-glycemic index foods. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Campus Health Services lists rice products, angel food cake, white bread and rolls, dried dates and hard candy as high-glycemic foods and recommends replacing them with lower-glycemic foods like beans, most fruits and milk products.
Other Diet Ideas
Eat foods that are high in fiber to fill up and stay satisfied, says the University of Maryland Medical Center, adding that psyllium, a type of soluble fiber, may suppress your appetite by making you feel fuller for longer periods than other types of fiber. UMMC also says that adding cayenne pepper to your food may reduce your hunger. Try low-calorie spicy foods and eat slowly to trick your body into thinking that you have eaten a larger quantity of food than you actually have.
References
- Bonnie J. Brehm, PhD, RD, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine: Appetite: An Adversary to Weight Control?
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center, Oregon State University: Grains
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Health Services: Sports Nutrition
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Obesity
Member Comments