Foods with a high "satiety value" help reduce the amount of food it takes to halt hunger, help reduce cravings and extend time between meals. Satiety--the feeling that you are not being deprived and are full--often is the determining factor in successful weight management, according to Weight Watchers. Many low-calorie foods can help you achieve satiety. In general, the more water, fiber and protein a food has, the longer it will keep you satisfied.
Eggs
Eggs have been dubbed the "perfect protein," with omega-3 eggs being best. Eggs are a nutrient-dense food that boosts brain power, thanks to the choline they contain. A 2005 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concludes that protein foods have a strong role in satiety. In the study, people who ate a daily diet with 30 percent protein consumed 441 fewer calories than people who got 15 percent of their calories from protein daily.
Protein
Other low-fat, high-protein choices can give satiety, too. Protein empties from the stomach more slowly than carbohydrates, leading folks to feel full longer, according to the Mayo Clinic. It also keeps blood sugar steady instead of spiking it, as some carbohydrates can. Good protein foods include lean meats, poultry without skin, and low- and non-fat dairy foods. Fish is more satisfying on a per-calorie basis than other proteins, according to the Diabetes Network.
Broth-Based Soup
Broth-based soup can fill you up without filling you out. Soup is a great way to start a meal and save on calories, thanks to its high water content. Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University's chairwoman of nutrition, researched the difference between people who started meals with soup and those who began with entrees. Rolls found that people who ate meals with soup consumed 100 fewer calories during the meal.
Complex Carbs
Complex carbohydrates that are high in water and fiber, such as apples, oranges and grapes, give you more food for fewer calories. Also, high-fiber foods stay in your stomach longer, because they are processed slower. This leads to feeling fuller for longer, according to Elisa Zied, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Popcorn
Popcorn is a great snack food that allows you to indulge your urge to munch without lots of extra calories, thanks to its bulk. Just make sure you don't drench it in high-fat butter. Some herbs or spices can be used to give extra pizazz to your snack without adding extra calories. Choose popcorn over dry foods, including pretzels and crackers, that lack fiber and water and are low in volume, Weight Watchers recommends.
Legumes and Beans
Legumes and beans truly are magical when it comes to feeling full, because of their high fiber and protein contents. Lentils and baked beans both had high marks on the "Satiety Index" developed by Australian researcher Dr. Susanne Holt of the University of Sydney. Beans and lentils also have anti-nutrients that delay their absorption and keep you feeling fuller longer.
Salad
Salad gives you the satisfying crunch factor along with fiber and water. As with soup, people who start their meals with salad eat fewer calories than those who skip the greens, according to Rolls' research.
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