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13 Healthy Foods That Help Control Hunger Pangs

Do you feel like you are hungry all the time? Are your constant hunger pangs letting you indulge in binge-eating and making your waist bigger?

It is not uncommon to feel hungry most of the times but however, it can be rather disturbing and even irritating. Feeling hungry all the time, even though you have had enough food can be due to various reasons such as stress, hormonal imbalance, low blood sugar level, side effects of certain medications, acidity, etc.

Foods to Control Hunger Pangs

Hormones play an important role in the regulation of hunger and fat build-up in the body. There are two types of hormones that mainly are involved in this, one is ghrelin and the other is leptin. The hormone ghrelin causes hunger by sending signals to the brain. This will result in overeating if this hormone is secreted in excess in the body. This can lead to fat accumulation in the body, and thus weight gain [1] .

Leptin is responsible for suppressing appetite that sends signals to the brain that you are full, which will prevent you from overeating and fat build-up in the body [2] . If the leptin is not secreted appropriately, you will be left feeling hungry, causing weight gain [3] . Therefore, it is essential that you consume foods that help increase your leptin levels and decrease the ghrelin levels [3] .

12 Reasons Why You Are Always Hungry12 Reasons Why You Are Always Hungry

Interesting Facts About Hunger

Foods That Help Control Hunger Pangs

1. Egg

Various studies have revealed that eating eggs for breakfast will suppress the hormone ghrelin. Therefore, you will feel less hungry during the day and also consume fewer calories [4] .

Hunger Pangs

2. Carrot

Rich in fibre and carotenoids, eating carrots as a snack in between meals can help reduce the production of acids in the stomach and curb hunger. It is due to the rich fibre content of the vegetable [4] .

3. Raspberry

Consuming just about 30 g of this yummy berry is known to keep you satiated for a long time, as raspberries to are rich in fibre and macronutrients [5] .

4. Oats

Having oats for breakfast will give you a feeling of satisfaction, as it will increase your hunger decreasing the hormone leptin. Oats contain insoluble fibre that fills your belly and helps in the production of a fatty acid known as butyrate, which reduces inflammation in the body [6] . The carbohydrate content in oatmeal can keep you fuller for a longer time, thus preventing hunger pangs and the consequent binge-eating.

Hunger Pangs

5. Pistachio

Exceptionally healthy food, pistachios are loaded with powerful nutrients and come with a number of health benefits. Some of the health benefits being, improving metabolic rate, aiding weight loss, improving brain functions, etc. Pistachio can help suppress hunger naturally when snacked on, as it neutralises the stomach acids [7] .

6. Avocado

Regarded as being one of the healthiest fruits, avocados come with multiple health benefits. As avocado contains antioxidants, it can reduce the production of digestive acids in the stomach to reduce hunger pangs [8] .

7. Flaxseed

A rich source of protein and antioxidants, consuming flaxseeds on a regular basis can also help prevent untimely hunger pangs, as both the protein and the antioxidant content in flax seeds can curb hunger [9] .

Hunger Pangs

8. Greek yoghurt

Possessing a plethora of health benefits, such as the ability to improve our gut health, by promoting the growth of healthy bacteria as well as vaginal health, Greek yoghurt is an easy fix for hunger pangs. Greek yoghurt neutralises the acids in your stomach, thus reducing hunger pangs [10] .

9. Bell pepper

Rich in water content and antioxidants, adding capsicums to your salads can help curb hunger pangs for a long time and prevent unhealthy weight gain [7] .

10. Green peas

Rich in fibre and proteins, green peas are extremely good for controlling and managing your hunger pangs [11] . The fibre and protein content in peas help in reducing the production of stomach acids and thereby help keep the hunger pangs at bay.

Hunger Pangs

11. Rooibos tea

Possessing a flavonoid called aspalathin that reduces the stress hormones causing hunger and fat build-up in the body, rooibos tea is the perfect answer for curing hunger pangs [12] . The fat build-up will reduce the metabolic rate in the body and cause many diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

12. Quinoa

Being rich in protein, vitamin B, fibre and complex carbohydrates this super grain can hold a lot of water thus making us feel full for a long time [13] .

13. Soybean

A great source of protein, soybeans take time to synthesise. This, in turn, makes it an effective cure for hunger pangs [14].

Some of the other types of foods that can help control hunger pangs are ginger, coffee, lentils, apples etc.

On A Final Note...

Although these foods are effective for controlling constant hunger pangs, make sure to eat these in a moderate amount; because any food in huge quantities can never be beneficial for your body.

View Article References
  1. [1] Weingarten, H. P. (1985). Stimulus control of eating: Implications for a two-factor theory of hunger.Appetite,6(4), 387-401.
  2. [2] Dietz, W. H. (1995). Does hunger cause obesity?.Pediatrics,95(5), 766-767.
  3. [3] Nijs, I. M., Muris, P., Euser, A. S., & Franken, I. H. (2010). Differences in attention to food and food intake between overweight/obese and normal-weight females under conditions of hunger and satiety.Appetite,54(2), 243-254.
  4. [4] Blundell, J., De Graaf, C., Hulshof, T., Jebb, S., Livingstone, B., Lluch, A., ... & Westerterp, M. (2010). Appetite control: methodological aspects of the evaluation of foods.Obesity reviews,11(3), 251-270.
  5. [5] Arus, L., Kikas, A., & Luik, A. (2012). Carabidae as natural enemies of the raspberry beetle (Byturus tomentosus F.).Zemdirbyste= Agriculture,99(3), 327-332.
  6. [6] MacLachlan, J. D. (1941). Manganese Deficiency in Soils and Crops: 1. Control in Oats by Spraying; Studies of the Rôle of Soil Micro-Organisms.Scientific Agriculture,22(3), 201-207.
  7. [7] Al-Daraji, H. J., Al-Mashadani, H. A., Al-Hassani, A. S., Mirza, H. A., & Al-Hayani, W. K. (2012). The Influence of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) as feed additive on hematological traits of local Iraqi geese.Advances in Nutrition Research,1(1), 1-5.
  8. [8] Carlson, A. J. (1919).The control of hunger in health and disease. University of Chicago Press.
  9. [9] Sorensen, A. A., Busch, T. M., & Vinson, S. B. (1985). Control of food influx by temporal subcastes in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta.Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology,17(3), 191-198.
  10. [10] Veeravel, R., & Baskaran, P. (1997). Searching Behaviour of Two Coccinellid Predators, Coccinella transversalis Fab. and Cheilomenes sexmaculatus Fab., on Egg Plant Infested with Aphis gossypii Glov.International Journal of Tropical Insect Science,17(3-4), 363-368.
  11. [11] Veeravel, R., & Baskaran, P. (1997). Searching Behaviour of Two Coccinellid Predators, Coccinella transversalis Fab. and Cheilomenes sexmaculatus Fab., on Egg Plant Infested with Aphis gossypii Glov.International Journal of Tropical Insect Science,17(3-4), 363-368.
  12. [12] Isaacs, S. (2012).Beat Overeating Now!: Take Control of Your Hunger Hormones to Lose Weight Fast. Fair Winds Press (MA).
  13. [13] Fred, E. B., Wilson, P. W., & Wyss, O. (1938). Light intensity and the nitrogen hunger period in the Manchu soybean.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,24(1), 46.

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