Choose satisfying foods to lose weight

To Make Every Meal Healthier! this month we’re focusing on ways to feel satisfied and still lose weight.

The key to staying satisfied (and so not snacking or overeating from hunger) is to choose foods with a high satiety value. In other words, foods that keep us feeling fuller, for longer. Here are some small, simple swaps you can make every day to get you started.

Breakfast

REPLACE THIS	WITH THIS	WHY?
Toast with butter and Marmite	Toast with avocado and tomato	Lower GI, higher in fibre
Crumpets	Fruit toast	More fibre and more unsaturated fat
Refined breakfast cereal	Traditional oats	Lower GI, higher in fibre

Lunch

REPLACE THIS	WITH THIS	WHY?
Packet soup	Canned chunky vegetable soup	Most soup fills you up, but those with vegetables have more fibre
Sandwich bread	Pita bread	More room for fibre-rich, water-rich salad veges
Green salad	Tuna and avocado sushi roll	More protein and unsaturated fat, lower-GI rice

Dinner

REPLACE THIS	WITH THIS	WHY?
Potatoes	Kumara	Lower GI
Chicken nuggets	Frozen fish fillets	More protein, and according to Australian research, fish is more satisfying than chicken
Kidney beans	Soy beans	Lower GI and higher in protein

Snacks

REPLACE THIS	WITH THIS	WHY?
20 rice crackers	2 cups popcorn	Save over 350kJ and boost fibre intake by 3g
50g bag of chips	50g crunchy chickpeas	A crunchy snack with three times the protein, and save almost 400kJ
Chocolate bar	Jarrah Drinking Chocolate with trim milk	High in protein and water, which increases stomach distention and satiety

Author: Healthy Food Guide staff

First published: Sep 2012