When looking to achieve a weight loss or wellness goal, it's important to eat foods that prevent hunger and sugar cravings. When you're hungry, you're more likely to eat foods that are not in line with your goals and lead to you feeling even more hungry.
Thankfully, there are a lot of healthy and delicious foods you can add to your meal in order to make it more filling and therefore make achieving your weight loss or wellness goals much easier.
Today, I'm sharing over 32 healthy and filling foods to help you feel satisfied from your meals.
What makes a food "filling"?
In order to feel satisfied from your meal for an extended period of time and immediately after eating your meal, it needs to contain protein, fat and fiber.
Protein and fat are needed to achieve long lasting satiety - usually around 4 hours. These two food types raise our satiety hormones peptide YY and CCK. But protein and fat quality matters. Poor quality proteins that are low in essential amino acids don't raise satiety hormones as efficiently.
When it comes to fats, the more processed it is, generally the less satiating it has been found to be. So this list contains proteins and fats from satiating, high quality sources.
Fiber is needed to feel full more immediately from your meal. Fiber acts on the stretch mechanism in the stomach to tell the brain that you're full and satisfied. However, fiber only works as long as it's in the stomach. Once it leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine, this stretch mechanism doesn't work.
That's why it's important to balance meals with enough protein, fat and fiber to get an all around satiating meal.
1. Eggs
Eggs are some of the most satiating foods on the planet. In fact, when compared to other breakfast items like oatmeal and bagels, eggs have been found to reduce hunger for a longer period of time.(1,2)
2. Beef
In all it's various cuts and preparations, beef is one of the best foods to help make you feel fuller longer. Plus, it's loaded with nutrients like selenium, B vitamins and heme iron.
3. Whey Protein
Whey protein is a convenient way to sneak protein into a meal and help boost satiety. My zero sugar pasture-raised whey protein was specifically developed to taste amazing in recipes. My personal favorites are my Vanilla Bean Protein Waffles and Almond Butter Recovery Smoothie.
Checkout my zero sugar protein powder HERE!
4. Salmon
Salmon is rich in protein and high quality anti-inflammatory fats. Not a fan of salmon? Try making it into salmon "cakes" with onions, almond flour, eggs and your favorite seasonings.
5. Greek Yogurt + Skyr
These two yogurts are much higher in protein than regular yogurt (or plant-based yogurt), making it an excellent base to your breakfast to help keep you satisfied for multiple hours.
Try mixing it into chia pudding like with THIS recipe.
6. Chicken
Chicken breast is a great, all-purpose protein, but chicken thighs and drumsticks tend to be more satiating. This is likely due to the slightly higher fat content of these two cuts, making it more satiating then the leaner chicken breast.
7. Raspberries
Raspberries are very high in fiber and can therefore help to slow down the release of sugar into the body. Try adding raspberries to your greek yogurt or chia pudding breakfast bowl.
8. Chia Seeds (or Edible Basil Seeds)
Speaking of high fiber foods, chia seeds are FULL of fiber! If you're sensitive to lectins, then you can opt for edible basil seeds, which have similar benefits as chia seeds but without the lectins. You can even use edible basil seeds as a direct swap to any recipe using chia seeds.
9. Cauliflower
Cauliflower is naturally low in carbs and contains folate, vitamin C and vitamin K1. Because cauliflower is fairly bland, it easily takes on nearly every flavor. I love making cauliflower "rice" burrito bowls or roasting cauliflower with curry powder, olive oil and salt for a simple side dish.
10. Leafy Greens
This category adds bulk and a ton of micronutrients to a meal. Think mustard greens, kale, spinach, watercress and chard. Try marinating chopped kale in lemon juice, olive oil, dijon mustard and salt for a simple salad base.
11. Artichoke Hearts
If you aren't familiar with artichoke hearts, don't scroll past this one! Artichoke hearts are very rich in fiber (1 medium artichoke has nearly 13 grams of fiber!), helping to make you feel fuller longer.
Try steaming whole artichoke and eating with melted butter. Or you can get canned artichoke hearts and top it on your salad, like in the Mediterranean Artichoke Heart Salad from the 7 Day Detox.
12. Pork
Pork chops and pork loin are some of the most satiating and protein rich cuts that you can add to your weekly dinner routine.
13. Mushrooms
Mushrooms add a slightly "meaty" texture to a raw salad or cooked meal. Try adding cooked mushrooms along with other satiating foods, like cauliflower and ground beef, with my low carb shepherd's pie recipe HERE.
14. Tuna
One can of tuna comes in at around 40 grams of complete protein! I like to keep a stash of canned tuna in my pantry for a fast and easy lunch when I'm in a pinch for time. I love the low mercury brand Safe Catch.
15. Lamb
Lamb is much higher in fat than other sources of protein, like beef, chicken or turkey. Because of this, you'll need about 4.75 oz. of ground lamb to hit 30 grams of complete protein at one meal. Try making mediterranean style lamb meatballs to help fight food fatigue.
16. Cottage Cheese
My favorite zero cook break-fast or lunch! Cottage cheese is similar to greek yogurt or skyr in that it's very high in satiating protein. Just top it with your favorite fruit and 1/4 cup of nuts or seeds to make it a complete (and very satisfying) meal.
17. Tempeh
Tempeh is made from fermented soy beans so it's very rich in bioavailable plant-based protein. You can use it in place of meat in many recipes if you're plant-based and trying to sneak more satiating protein into your diet.
18. Shrimp
Shrimp is a much more lean protein than other sources, like beef or eggs. It's also rich in an important vitamin called choline. Choline is essential for liver detox and brain health.
19. Liver
Liver is the ultimate natural multivitamin. If you can tolerate it, it's incredibly high in B vitamins, choline, folate, vitamin A and iron. It's one of the most nutrient dense and satiating foods you can add to a meal. Try sneaking it into your meal by finely chopping it up and cooking it into a chili.
20. Cabbage
Along with fiber and various vitamins, cabbage adds a nice crunch to your salad or meal. Try pairing your grilled burger with a homemade cabbage coleslaw.
21. Bone Broth
Bone broth contains collagen, which when paired with other sources of protein has been found to help significantly boost satiety after a meal.(3) My favorite bone broth is from Kettle & Fire.
You can get 20% off Kettle & Fire Bone Broth by using code AUTUMNBATES at checkout HERE.
22. Mussels + Oysters
These two shellfish are high in protein to help prevent hunger and loaded with vitamin B12.
23. Zucchini
Zucchini makes an excellent swap for less satiating, high glycemic load pastas. Try making zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti or test out my zucchini lasagna recipe HERE.
Just remember any veggie on its own will not provide lasting satiety. It needs to be paired with protein to help feel full and satisfied. Hellooo zucchini noodles and meatballs!
24. Sashimi
Sashimi is made from raw fish and doesn't include the high glycemic load white rice that regular sushi rolls contain. So if you're at a sushi restaurant, test out sashimi as an excellent, more satiating swap. Pair it with a cucumber salad, some edamame and miso soup for a complete (and delish!) meal.
25. Asparagus
Nearly 2/3 of the carbs in asparagus come from fiber! Try grilling asparagus or roasting it in the oven with garlic, olive oil and salt for a delicious side to any meal.
26. Kimchi
Kimchi is made from fermented veggies and is packed with Lactobacillus bacterium that can help support a healthy GI tract. Kimchi is also acidic from fermentation, which could factor into why it's been found to help support weight loss and blood sugar levels.(4,5)
27. Hearts of Palm
Similar to zucchini, hearts of palm is another great swap to high glycemic load pasta, helping to promote more stable blood sugar levels and therefore prevent a blood sugar crash. You can buy it canned or bagged and already formed into a variety of pasta shapes. THIS is a brand many of my clients like.
28. Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are not only a filling addition to a meal, they're also part of the cruciferous family (like broccoli and cauliflower). This means Brussels sprouts contains compounds called glucosinolates that have been found to aid in phase 2 liver detoxification.(6)
Try roasting Brussels sprouts in the oven or sautéing with garlic and butter on the stove top.
29. Green Beans
If you tend to suffer from bloating or gas, green beans are a vegetable you'll want to consider. In addition to helping boost satiety, green beans are also low FODMAP. This means they're less likely to ferment and lead to bloating or gas.
I like sautéing green beans with olive oil, salt and a heavy pinch of red pepper flakes.
30. Turkey
Any cut of turkey is a great high protein option that can be used as the cornerstone of your meal. Aim for about 4 oz. cooked turkey per serving (although, if you're heavily exercising, you might need more).
31. Crab + Lobster
Both are high protein options, but it's important to be aware that shellfish are common food allergens. If you aren't allergic, feel free to enjoy crab and lobster as the protein source for your meal.
32. Octopus
Octopus is very high in satiating protein and incredibly rich in vitamin B12. It's also loaded with nutrients such as selenium, copper, iron and zinc. Although if you have a shellfish allergy, this is still a no-go.
33. Anchovies + Sardines
Both of these little fish are very rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and micronutrients (although anchovies tend to be much higher in sodium due to the curing process). They also tend to be a less expensive fish option. If you enjoy either of these proteins, you can stock up on them in your pantry so you always have a fast and easy protein to add to your meal.
Head over HERE to grab Autumn's Protein Powder today!!
❤️,
Autumn
