Easy Ways to Reduce Hunger

Losing or maintaining weight generally requires you to exercise some control over your hunger. But there are methods that you can use to lessen your hunger and make the task that much easier.

Eat Enough Protein

Adding more protein to your diet can increase feelings of fullness, make you eat less at your next meal and help you lose fat. In addition, a high protein intake may help to prevent muscle loss when daily calories are reduced for weight loss.

Opt for Fibre-Rich Foods

A high fibre intake stretches the stomach, slows its emptying rate and influences the release of fullness hormones. In addition, fibre can ferment in the bowel. This produces short-chain fatty acids thought to further help promote feelings of fullness. Eating an extra 14 grams of fibre each day may decrease your calorie intake by up to 10%.

Drink Coffee

Coffee has many benefits for health and sports performance - and may also help decrease your appetite. Research shows that coffee increases the release of peptide YY. This hormone is produced in the gut in response to eating and promotes a feeling of fullness.

Fill Up on Water

Drinking water can help decrease the hunger you feel before meals. It may also increase feelings of fullness following a meal and promote weight loss. In fact, studies show that people who drink two glasses of water immediately before a meal eat 22% less than those who don’t drink any water.

Indulge in Dark Chocolate

The bitterness of dark chocolate is thought to help decrease appetite and diminish cravings for sweets. Researchers also believe the stearic acid in dark chocolate can help slow digestion, further increasing feelings of fullness. Interestingly, the simple act of smelling this treat might produce the same effect. One study observed that simply smelling 85% dark chocolate decreased both appetite and hunger hormones just as much as actually eating it.

Eat Some Ginger

Ginger has been linked to many health benefits. These include reductions in nausea, muscle pain, inflammation and blood sugar levels. Interestingly, recent research adds another benefit to the list: hunger reduction. One study found that consuming 2 grams of ginger powder diluted in hot water at breakfast reduced the hunger participants felt after the meal.

Opt for Protein-Rich Snacks

Snacking is a matter of personal choice. If it’s part of your daily routine, you may want to choose snacks that are high-protein rather than high-fat. High-protein snacks can increase feelings of fullness and decrease total calorie intake at the following meal.

Hunger is an important and natural signal that should not be ignored. The tips mentioned here are just a few simple ways to reduce your appetite and hunger between meals.