What to Eat to Keep Hunger in Check

You're hungry, and you know this because not only is your stomach rumbling, but you've also used the handy Hunger Scale. Before you grab something, make sure you choose a food that's going to stay with you a while and keep you feeling satisfied so you're not tempted to reach for something else soon after.

What type of food will do this? You're basically looking for a bite that has a lot of water and fiber. "Water has the biggest impact on the amount of food we eat," says Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., a professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University in University Park. Rolls, who has conducted numerous studies on the foods that are most satiating, explains that the more water a food contains, the more of it you can eat without the risk of overeating. That's because most water-rich foods are low in calories (think fruit, vegetables, broth-based soups). In fact, her research shows that when people begin a meal with a low-calorie soup or salad, they actually end up consuming fewer total calories than when they skip the water-rich starter. (But, interestingly, a beverage--like juice or iced tea--doesn't do the trick. There's something extra satiating about soup.)

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that gives food bulk, helps slow down digestion and makes you feel full longer. Again, many fiber-rich foods--fruit, vegetables, whole grains--are naturally low in calories. Women should get 25 grams of fiber per day; men should aim for 38 grams.

To work more filling foods into your diet use these tips:

• Start your meal with a soup or salad. To keep calories in check, limit yourself to 100 calories. For soup, choose lighter vegetable-based or broth-based options. For salads, stick with greens and other veggies, no cheese or other high-calorie toppings. Use about 80 calories of dressing; that's about two teaspoons of olive oil, one tablespoon of regular dressing or two tablespoons reduced-fat dressing.
• Make a meal out of salad by adding lean protein sources, such as turkey, beans, water-packed tuna or hard boiled eggs to your greens.
• Prepare large batches of soup weekly, so there's always some on hand for a healthy snack, lunch or meal starter.
• Puree fiber-rich veggies and add them to sauces, soups and sides to bulk up your meals without adding many calories.

• Freeze fresh fruit to use in smoothies, dessert compotes and even as a topping for whole-grain pancakes.
• Choose whole-grain products over processed white flour products whenever you can.