The leptin hormone plays a major role in how your body expends energy, and it also controls your hunger. Consequently, it's a critical part of regulating your body weight. Leptin concentrations are stored in fatty tissue. The way leptin interacts with other hormones, and how food plays a role in the release of leptin, is a rather complicated process. Basically, the release of leptin from your fat cells helps to curb your hunger while low levels of leptin triggers hunger. Certain foods tend to increase the leptin response.
Fish
Consuming more fish may help to stimulate a more efficient leptin response in your body, according to Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Christian Finn of TheFactsAboutFitness.com. Research has shown that people who consume fish regularly -- about two times per week -- have lower levels of leptin in the bloodstream. This research may sound a bit contradictory to how to how the leptin hormone actually works -- lower levels mean more hunger -- but the fish seems to increase the efficiency of the leptin response in the brain. So, even though fish may lower leptin levels in the bloodstream, the actual leptin response in the brain is greatly improved, which triggers a feeling of fullness.
Nuts/Seeds
Much like how eating fish can help your body handle the leptin hormone much more efficiently, nuts and seeds seem to have the same effect. There are several reasons for this, but the main similarity between the two foods is a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to lower rates of heart disease and improved mental capacity, according to Christian Finn, and this also extends to improving your body's leptin response.
Oysters
The nutrient zinc can increase your body's leptin response by 142 percent, according to Bodybuilding.com. Six medium size oysters contain 76.7 mg of zinc, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) -- a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of zinc for adult men is 11 mg and 8 mg for women, according to the ODS. A serving of oysters is well-beyond the RDA of zinc, so consult your doctor before increasing your intake of this food.
Wheat Germ
Wheat germ is the nutrient-dense part of wheat grass. Like the other foods listed here, wheat germ is high in omega-3 fatty acids, but it is also rich in vitamin E. Vitamin E increases leptin levels by 17 percent. The ODS reports that 1 tbsp. of wheat germ contains 20.3 mg of vitamin E. The RDA of vitamin E for people 14-years or older is 15 mg. Wheat germ is included in many whole grain products, such as bread and cereal, or it can be purchased and used as flour.
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