When we try hard to lose weight, first challenge would probably be “hunger”. I have heard from many friends, saying “I have been trying so hard to lose weight, but I have always been hungry.” As matter of fact, me too. The more I should not eat, the more I want to eat. The truth is that the strategy to fight hunger is to eat water-absorbent foods, which are rich in soluble fiber. Basically, feeling hungry is a signal of hunger that your body sends to you. In general, the causes of the hunger feeling could be because of you don’t eat enough or don’t eat the right combinations of foods. One of the quick ways to feed yourself is to consume the soluble fiber foods. Because these foods will make you feel full longer.
Here are 10 hydrophilic foods, or hunger-fighting foods, to help you to enjoy foods but still lose weight.
- Chia seeds: the seeds can absorb water up to 12 times its weight. They are full of omega-3s and antioxidants. Chia seeds have no flavor at all; you can have them with meals, yogurt, dips, spreads, and more.
- Kidney beans: As the matter of fact, all beans are hydrophilic. You could choose beans as protein to replace the usual chicken, turkey, or tuna fish. One cup is quite heavy and satisfying comparing to those meats.
- Chickpeas: As kidney beans, chickpea is another protein choice for meals and snacks in the diet plan. In addition, beans also decrease the risk of coronary disease. In as study of a large numbers of men and women, the participants who ate 4 times more beans in a week are likely to have 22% lower risk of coronary heart disease than those who ate less than once a week.
- Barley: Barley has a delicious nutty flavor. It is better to go with the pot barley; it would be easy to cook, and retains most its nutrition.
- Oatmeal: oatmeal contains soluble fiber, and has 6 grams of protein (per serving). In addition, it has minerals phosphorus, potassium, selenium, manganese, and some iron. And the foremost, it has a type of polysaccharide called beta-glucan, which lowers cholesterol and decreases the risk of heart disease.
- Okra: this vegetable has slimy gooey inside. It is high in vitamins A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron, and magnesium. You can have it boiled with water and favor with soy sauce, or stew, soup, stir-fries.
- Brussel sprouts: Because this vegetable contains hydrophilic fiber, it could keep you full for hours. The American Cancer Society recommends them as one of the key dietary. Brussel sprouts contain four specific nutrients called glucosinolates, which are the starting points for a variety of cancer-protective substances.
- Pears: Pears have more pectin, a hydrophilic fiber, than apples. It would be even better if you eat the fiber-rich skin because of its skin contains the antioxidant quercetin, which prevents cancer and artery damage.
- Oranges: Oranges, the whole orange include the pith (the thick white out layer) and the flesh, are full of hydrophilic fiber. Both pith and flesh contain a lot of vitamin C and pectin. Next time, when you eat oranges, try not to peel away too much the pith.
- Agar: Agar is made from seaweed, and is widely used in Asia. Agar contains 80% hydrophilic fiber. It has no calories, no carbs, no sugar, and no fat. A Japanese study in 2005 compared 2 groups of participants who were overweight and had type 2 diabetes. The group who were given the agar supplemented diet for 12 weeks, found lost more weight and had lower fasting glucose levels, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol that the other group with a regular diet.
There are some science-based ways to help you to ease the hunger (healthline):
- Eat enough protein: protein increases feelings of fullness
- Choose high fiber foods: high fiber foods help feeling full longer and slower in digestion
- Drink plenty of water, low calories liquids, or a bowl of soup: eating/drinking liquid form of foods before a meal helps you to feel full faster
- Eat solid, texture-rich foods: help to feel full longer till next meal
- Eat mindfully: mindful eating is to eliminate distractions and only focus on the food you are eating
- Eat slowly: make you feel more satisfied and reduce calories intake
- Choose your own dinnerware: reduce the size of the dinnerware for studies show that the size of your dinnerware influences your hunger levels.
- Exercise regularly: exercises help increase fullness hormones and reduced hunger levels.
- Get enough sleep: sleep at lease 7 hours could reduce your hunger levels
- Manage stress level: stress may raise levels of the hormone cortisol which makes you eat more, vice versa. It may be different from person to person.
- Eat some ginger: antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may help to reduce hunger levels
- Choose the right filling snacks: choose snacks that are high in protein, fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbs will likely reduce hunger levels
- Do not denude yourself: if you go extreme on depriving your cravings, you would rather be experienced cravings even more intensively.
A normal body reaction to hunger and cravings for food is the signal of your body requires energy supplies. Eating the right foods and implementing the strategies to curb your hunger would help to fight hunger and achieve your goal on losing weight.
Reference:
- Reader’s Digest 10Uniquely Hunger-Fighting Foods to Lose Weight https://www.thehealthy.com/weight-loss/hunger-fighting-foods/
- Healthline: 13 Science-Based Ways to Reduce Hunger and Appetite https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-reduce-hunger-appetite
- WebMD: Foods that Curb Hunger https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/foods-that-curb-hunger
- Department of Health and Human Services (CDC): Eat More, Weigh less? https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/energy_density.pdf
- Prevention: 6 Tricks to Combat Hunger and Lose Weight https://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/a20452286/tune-into-your-hunger-cues-to-lose-weight/
