5 Ways to Feel Full
1. Include low glycemic index carbohydrates in your main meals.
The glycemic index is a value that indicates the sugar content of carbohydrate-rich foods. When we eat foods high in sugar, or with a high glycemic index, our blood sugar rises very quickly, but then falls just as rapidly in the second phase. This makes us hungry sooner. Foods like white bread, rice pilaf, pasta, and sweets have a high glycemic index. Therefore, if we choose these foods for our meals, we will feel hungry again after 1-2 hours. However, if we consume low glycemic index foods like legumes, whole wheat bread, bulgur, and oats alongside our main meals in the necessary amounts, we can maintain long-term blood sugar balance and stay full for at least 5 hours.
2. Reduce the Hidden Fats You Eat
Too much fat is harmful, but moderation is key. Consuming the necessary amount of fat in our diet helps us feel full longer by prolonging stomach emptying time, while excessive fat intake leads to hunger quickly. This is because fats contain high energy in a small volume. Imagine eating a pack of chocolate and consuming approximately 500 calories. If you were to eat a main course with the same calorie content—a portion of meat accompanied by plenty of salad and vegetables—you would feel much more satiated, wouldn't you? By eliminating fatty foods like fried foods, greasy flatbreads, cookies, rolls, roasted nuts, and greasy mixed meats from your diet, you can eat main courses or snacks that will keep you feeling full for much longer.
3. Add salad to your meals.
By consuming dark green leafy vegetables, radishes, tomatoes, and salads made from various herbs alongside your meals, which are high in water and fiber, you fill your stomach with low-calorie foods. Fiber provides very few calories but causes bloating. When your stomach is empty, it produces a large amount of ghrelin, which triggers the "food craving button" in the brain. After eating , your stomach lining stretches, and ghrelin (hunger hormone) production stops. Fiber acts like a sponge, retaining water as it passes through the stomach and being absorbed slowly in the intestines. This keeps you feeling full for at least 5 hours.
4. Drink a glass of water before and during meals.
Drinking a glass of water before meals takes up some space in your stomach, helping you feel full with smaller portions, while sipping a glass of water during your meal creates a sponge-like effect with your food, helping you stay full for longer.
5. Add protein sources to your diet.
You can stay full longer by adding quality protein sources like fish, eggs, lean red meat, legumes, turkey, chicken, milk, and dairy products to your main meals or snacks. For example, you can eat just dates when you crave something sweet, but dates alone can lead to overeating and cause you to feel hungry again quickly due to their high glycemic index. However, if you choose a coffee with milk alongside two dates, you can balance your blood sugar and extend your feeling of fullness. Similarly, adding yogurt to your vegetable dishes, or adding eggs and legumes to your vegetable dishes to increase their protein content, will also help you stay full for longer while eating the same meals.