Keep Your Tummy Full With These Simple Nutritious Foods
Having a good selection of nutritious foods in your refrigerator and pantry at all times is a great way to stay on track with your diet. Whether you are on a weight loss program or just want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition is important to the success of both.
But even our best intentions for eating well can go off track when we get hungry. That bag of chips is mighty inviting when our tummy starts to rumble. And, you may have stocked up on celery sticks to snack on, but hunger pangs and celery sticks just don't go together.
There is good news. There are nutritious foods that satisfy even the hungriest among us. Yes, some foods are more filling than others. The trick is to find the foods that are also nutritious. That bag of chips IS filling, but it doesn't fit the bill when it comes to nutrition. Let's take a look at some foods that meet both requirements.
Protein
Research shows that high protein snacks satisfy hunger for reasons other than just filling the tummy. It is believed that both plant and animal protein act the same in our body to produce that full feeling. As proteins are digested, they release peptides which send a signal to the brain that tells the stomach to release glucose which acts as an appetite suppressant. In other words, you don't want to eat anymore because your tummy says it's full, not because there is a lot in there, but what's in there is giving the 'all's full' signal.
Adding protein to every meal and enjoying protein rich snacks is a great way to feel full and avoid the snack attacks. Nibble on nuts, cold chicken, or go ahead and give that celery stick a try, but just fill it with peanut butter.
Prunes
Don't be sidetracked with an image of your grandparents enjoying their prunes every morning. This is one snack that should be added to your nutritious diet for so many more reasons than that. If it helps, remember that prunes are just dried plums. There, is that better?
Dietary fiber is a great tool for filling an empty tummy, and we all know that prunes are loaded with fiber! An additional benefit to eating prunes is they also satisfy a sweet tooth. So if your snack attacks involve a pint of ice cream or a sleeve of Girl Scout Cookies, grab a handful of prunes instead. You will fill up fast and enjoy the nutrients that come along with this little dried plum.
Garbanzo Beans
We all know that beans are loaded with fiber, protein, and other nutrients. But sometimes we just don't want to sit down to a whole meal of beans, we just want to stop a snack attack in its tracks. Here's where a great garbanzo bean snack comes to the rescue.
Garbanzo beans are a protein and by virtue of being a protein will help your tummy send an "all full" signal to your brain. However, making a crunchy snack out of garbanzo beans does double duty. Just spread some rinsed garbanzo beans on a baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil over the top, and bake in a hot oven until they crisp up a bit, stirring around a little during this baking time. Remove, add salt, and let cool slightly. Now you have a protein AND a satisfying crunchy snack in the same bowl. If you crave potato chips at night when your tummy feels empty, grab some crunchy garbanzo beans and your craving will be over and, unlike potato chips, it won't come back.
Nuts
We mentioned nuts in the protein section, but there are other reasons to eat nuts when you need to get rid of that hungry feeling. One reason is the natural oils in the nuts work to create that full feeling. Studies show that natural, healthy oils have a satiating effect on the stomach, sending signals to the brain that actually help slow down the drop in blood sugar. And as we know, rapid blood sugar drops create hungry feelings fast.
Other reasons nuts keep us feeling fuller longer is they are loaded with fiber and provide a long lasting chewing sensation. It is almost impossible to eat nuts too fast. Choose whole almonds for your next snack and I guarantee you will enjoy a good long nibble that will keep you feeling full for a good long time.
These are just a few of the foods that will keep your tummy feeling fuller for a longer period of time. If you are on a weight loss program, this is important to stay on track. If you are concerned about eating a nutritious diet, all of these foods offer lots of nutrients along with filling up your tummy. When it comes to good nutrition, having a few of these foods in your house will go a long way to satisfying all your dietary needs.
No comments:
Post a Comment