Trying to lose weight - or even eating a healthy diet - can leave you with an empty feeling in your stomach. Many low-calorie foods are simply not very satisfying. It's important to find filling foods that are also low in calories because they can help you to stay satiated and stay on track with your weight loss and overall goals for health.
Satiation
One of the keys to long-term success on any nutritional program is satiation. If you are not eating foods that keep you satisfied, you are far more likely to slip back into unhealthy eating habits. Finding foods that satiate can help to keep hunger at bay, and keep you on track as you progress toward your goals.
The key is to find low calorie food that keeps you satiated so you won't start making trips to the refrigerator 20 minutes after your last meal.
Finding Satiating Low-Cal Food that Fills You Up
While they may taste great when you eat them, some low-calorie meals and snacks can leave you hungry. Fortunately, there are a number of low-calorie foods that will help to satisfy your appetite.
Fiber
Fiber plays an important role in satiation. Choosing foods that are high in fiber can help give your food staying power. High fiber foods that fill you up include:
| Food | Serving Size | Fiber (g) | Calories | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinoa | 1/2 cup | 3 grams | 111 | Quinoa is also high in protein, making it a very satisfying grain. |
| Oats | 1/4 cup | 8 grams | 160 | Best choices are steel cut oats. Instant oats typically have added sugars. To sweeten, use a little cinnamon. |
| Barley | 1/2 cup | 3 grams | 87 | Whole barley is also referred to as pearl barley, and is the highest in fiber. |
| Whole wheat pasta | 1 cup | 6.3 grams | 174 | When served with a vegetable sauce containing high fiber veggies, whole wheat spaghetti is very satisfying. |
| Popcorn, air popped | 3 cups | 3.5 grams | 93 | As soon as you add butter or oil to popcorn, the calories go up. Try sprinkling with a little sea salt or nutritional yeast for flavor. |
| Lentils | 1/2 cup | 7.8 grams | 113 | Cooked in water |
| Lima beans | 1/2 cup | 7.6 grams | 108 | Cooked in water |
| Garbanzo beans | 1/2 cup | 5.3 grams | 143 | Cooked in water |
| Black beans | 1/2 cup | 6 grams | 106 | Cooked in water |
| Vegetables | Varies | Varies | Varies | See Vegetables below |
| Raspberries | 1 cup | 8 grams | 64 | raw |
| Blueberries | 1 cup | 4 grams | 80 | raw |
| Blackberries | 1 cup | 8 grams | 70 | raw |
| Strawberries | 1 cup | 2.4 grams | 40 | raw |
| Pear | 1 medium | 4 grams | 100 | Includes skin |
| Apple | 1 medium | 5 grams | 80 | Includes skin |
| Sweet potato | 1 medium | 4 grams | 103 | Baked, with skin |
| Bran flakes | 3/4 cup | 5 grams | 96 | Cereal |
| Fiber One | 1/2 cup | 14 grams | 60 | Cereal |
Low-fat Dairy
Low-fat dairy such as skim milk, yogurt and fat-free cheese can keep you satisfied. The dairy protein found in these foods burns more slowly than carbohydrates, staying in your system longer and keeping your body from experiencing food cravings and premature hunger.
| Food | Serving Size | Calories | Protein (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonfat milk | 1 cup | 86 | 8.5 | |
| Nonfat plain yogurt | 6 ounces | 82 | 8.2 | Avoid sweetened or fruit on the bottom yogurts. Add fresh berries for a low-calorie, fiber filled snack. |
| Nonfat plain Greek yogurt | 6 ounces | 105 | 18 | |
| Fat-free cheddar | 1 ounce | 45 | 9 | Cheese may be high in salt, so if you are on a sodium restricted diet, keep this to a minimum. |
| Skim mozzarella | 1 ounce | 79 | 8 | |
| Nonfat plain kefir | 6 ounces | 60 | 5.7 |
Low-fat Protein
Low-fat protein such as white meat chicken, turkey, egg whites, fish and lean cuts of meat have a slower burn rate than carbohydrates and can therefore be more satisfying. To keep proteins lower in fat and calories, use a dry heat cooking method such as grilling or steaming.
| Food | Serving Size | Calories | Protein (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halibut | 3 ounces | 119 | 23 | |
| Salmon | 3 ounces | 175 | 19 | |
| Trout | 3 ounces | 144 | 21 | |
| Shrimp | 3 ounces | 101 | 19.4 | |
| Tuna | 3 ounces | 156 | 25.4 | Fresh |
| Tuna | 3 ounces | 98 | 21.7 | Canned in water |
| Lobster | 3 ounces | 87 | 18.6 | Boiled or steamed |
| Scallops | 3 ounces | 74 | 14.1 | Steamed or grilled |
| Venison tenderloin | 3 ounces | 125 | 25.4 | |
| Pork tenderloin | 3 ounces | 122 | 22.2 | |
| 92 percent lean ground beef | 3 ounces | 120 | 15.75 | Drain fat after cooking |
| Chicken breast | 3 ounces | 139 | 27.3 | Skinless and boneless |
| Turkey breast | 3 ounces | 85 | 14.6 | Skinless and boneless |
| Ground turkey | 3 ounces | 85 | 14.6 | Choose ground turkey made from skinless breast meat |
| Egg whites | 3 | 48 | 10.8 |
Fresh Vegetables
Fresh vegetables - especially fibrous vegetables - are very satiating. Likewise, you can eat a large amount of fresh vegetables for a very low calorie count.
| Food | Serving Size | Calories | Fiber (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celery | 3 stalks | 30 | 3 | Raw |
| Kale | 1 cup, chopped | 34 | 1.3 | Raw |
| Spinach | 2 cups | 14 | 1.4 | Raw |
| Swiss chard | 2 cups | 12 | 1.2 | Raw |
| Broccoli | 2 cups, chopped | 60 | 4.6 | Raw |
| Cauliflower | 2 cups | 50 | 5 | Raw |
| Brussels sprouts | 1 cup | 65 | 6.5 | Cooked, steamed |
| Green beans | 1 cup | 44 | 4 | Cooked, boiled or steamed |
| Carrots | 1 cup, chopped | 52 | 3.6 | Raw |
| Artichoke | 1 medium | 64 | 10.4 | Boiled or steamed |
| Peas | 1/2 cup | 62 | 4.4 | |
| Sweet corn | 1 cup | 124 | 3.4 | |
| Tomatoes | 1 small, whole | 16 | 1.1 | |
| Cabbage | 1 cup, chopped | 22 | 2.2 | Raw |
| Edamame | 1/2 cup | 90 | 2.5 | Shelled |
| Zucchini | 1 small | 19 | 1.5 | |
| Mushrooms | 1 cup, sliced | 15 | 1 | |
| Pumpkin | 1 cup, mashed | 49 | 2.7 | |
| Acorn squash | 1 cup, cubes | 115 | 9 |
Nuts and Seeds
While not traditionally considered a low-calorie food, nuts and seeds are extremely satisfying. The secret is portion control. One ounce of peanuts has less than 200 calories, but can keep you satisfied for hours. Likewise, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter added to whole grain piece of toast adds less than 200 calories, but adding that peanut butter can keep you from getting hungry for hours.
| Food | Serving Size | Calories | Fiber (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds | 1 ounce | 160 | 3 | |
| Hazelnuts | 1 ounce | 170 | 4 | |
| Walnuts | 1 ounce | 195 | 2 | |
| Chia seeds | 1 ounce | 44 | 3 | When soaked, chia seeds also expand into a gel which many find filling. |
| Sunflower seeds | 1 ounce | 166 | 2.5 | |
| Pumpkin seeds | 1 ounce | 157 | 1.5 |
High Water Content Foods
Foods with high water content can also be filling and low-calorie. This is because large volumes of water in the food take up space, making portions larger but less calorically dense.
| Food | Serving Size | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Watermelon | 2 cups, diced | 80 |
| Cantaloupe | 2 cups, balls | 120 |
| Honeydew | 2 cups, balls | 128 |
| Iceberg lettuce | 2 cups, shredded | 16 |
| Romaine lettuce | 2 cups, shredded | 20 |
| Grapefruit | 1/2 medium | 60 |
| Cucumbers | 1 cup slices | 16 |
| Onions | 1 cup, chopped | 69 |
Low Calorie Foods that Aren't Filling
There are a number of low-calorie foods that just won't fit the bill. These foods leave your system quickly and leave you hungering for more. In fact, if you eat the wrong low calorie foods, you may wind up consuming more calories than you would have had you eaten a more satisfying food, like those listed above.
- Simple carbohydrates, starches, and sugars can be low in calories. Unfortunately, your body burns simple carbohydrates so quickly you may eat more than you intended, or you may be left hungry soon after eating. There is also some evidence that sugar and simple carbohydrates can also trigger further food cravings in sensitive individuals. Simple carbohydrates include sugar, white flour, white rice and pasta, to name a few. Also included are "diet snack foods" like low calorie cookies and crackers.
- Artificial sweeteners not only have no effect on satiation, but they may trigger cravings for sweets and simple carbohydrates.
- Processed foods like snack crackers, low-fat cookies and baked potato chips may seem like a good idea because they are low in calories. However, your body burns through them quickly. Instead of eating a lot of low-calorie processed foods, stick to the low-calorie foods you will find around the edges of the grocery store in the dairy, produce and meat aisles.
- Beware of low-calorie frozen entrees. While these meals may be low in calories, many contain simple carbohydrates and artificial sweeteners. Look for frozen entrees that feature lots of vegetables and whole grains over those with simple carbohydrates like pasta and rice.
- Fruit, while an essential part of a healthy diet, burns out of your system extremely quickly because of the high concentration of fructose. By all means, eat fruit, but don't count on a piece of fruit to satisfy your hunger for long. Some low-glycemic fruits (listed above) may be more filling and less likely to leave your system quickly.
- Potatoes and corn, while relatively low in calories, burn off quickly due to their relatively high starch rate.
Choosing Filling Foods
When you are dieting, the key to success is in the foods you eat. By selecting low calorie foods with a high satiation factor, you will be well on your way towards a healthier you.
