Eating meals and snacks that lack sufficient amounts of certain nutrients like protein and fibre can sometimes leave you feeling hungry soon after, leading to those focus-interrupting mid-morning or mid-afternoon energy slumps.
“People often focus on calories, and believe that all foods with the same calories will keep them equally satisfied, but that’s far from the truth,” observes registered dietitian Kyra Collins. “Foods that keep us fuller for longer tend to contain more protein and fibre and require more chewing, a factor that helps trigger fullness hormones, increasing sensory and psychological satisfaction and stabilising energy levels. Foods that are lower in these nutrients are often digested quickly and feel much less satisfying, meaning you tend to reach for something else not long after.”
Fibre appears to play an important role in satiety, adds nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, author of The Fibre Formula. “As it helps slow gastric emptying and supports a steadier release of energy, yet around 96 per cent of adults in the UK are not meeting the recommended fibre intake. Increasing fibre-rich foods such as beans, lentils, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and vegetables can support not only gut health, but also fullness, energy and overall dietary balance.”
