Hello there BHC readers and Happy Spring! I’m so excited for the longer days, sunshine and warmth ahead. It’s not quite here yet, but I can feel it in the air!
I’m popping in this week to talk more about finding satisfaction in food, but this time on a more practical level. I don’t know about you guys, but I pack my lunches and snacks for work every day, and don’t usually have the option to choose exactly what I’m craving for every meal. This can make it really tricky to ensure you’re eating foods that satisfy your cravings and leave you full and content until your next meal. One of my nutrition pet peeves are the “100 Calorie packs” that are marketed as a “healthy snack option.” They are usually entirely carbohydrates, and will fill you up for approximately 15 minutes and then leave you starving! A 100 Calorie pack does not a satisfying snack make. There is nothing worse than eating a snack or meal and feeling bored with it or hungry 30 minutes later!
Over the years, I’ve learned a little trick that I use to improve the odds that I’ll be satisfied (both physically and emotionally) with my meals and snacks throughout the day. It’s hard to have satisfaction without fullness, and vice versa.
It sounds so simple, but I’ve found that including protein, carbohydrate and fat in in almost every meal or snack I prepare is crucial to feeling full and satisfied. For me, having these three food groups, or macronutrients, in my meals and snacks makes a huge difference in my overall meal experience, and in how long the meal or snack keeps me full (aka not hangry). The protein will fill me up, and keep me full for a longer amount of time. The carbohydrates provide me with energy and help me to feel full, especially if I’ve chosen a carbohydrate rich in fiber, like whole wheat bread or brown rice. While fat doesn’t play a huge role in satiety, it definitely ups the taste factor in foods, and healthy fats (like avocados or nuts) bring a host of nutritional benefits to the meal, too. This strategy tends to guide me towards more “whole” foods and less processed foods naturally, and having a variety of food groups in each meal is also just a more exciting eating experience that keeps my taste buds guessing.
So what does this look like in real life? For breakfast I might have oats (a fiber-filled carbohydrate) made with 2% milk (protein AND good fats) and topped with almond butter (again, protein and good fats!). Snacks might be fruit and nuts, carrots and hummus, cheese and crackers, or yogurt (I love Siggi’s because it’s high in protein and also brings carbohydrates and fat to the table – a 3 in 1) … you get the idea!
It has been shown in studies that the amount of satiety we gain from a given food is directly related to how much pleasure we felt while eating the food. We know that satiety is critical if we want to maintain a healthy weight or achieve sustainable weight loss. So making sure to choose foods that actually satisfy your taste buds can help you feel more full and reduce cravings until your next meal.
Let me know if you try this week’s Nutrition Tip – I’m curious to hear of any delicious protein, fat and carbohydrates combos people come up with! Leave any questions you may have or topics you want to hear about below!
P.S. I’m planning to do a “Day of Eats of a Dietetic Intern” post soon to share more of my go-to meals and snacks. Stay tuned!
xo,
Emily (& Bess!)
This is great advice. I’ll give it a try!