A meal with out a lot fiber or protein gained’t hold you full for lengthy. Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, and fiber helps gradual the digestive course of — all of which helps hold you feeling sated. Quick-burning, low-fiber carbohydrates, reminiscent of white bread, pasta, and pizza, gained’t hold you feeling full.
Protein additionally reduces ghrelin ranges and will increase leptin sensitivity. “Protein is an extremely satiating macronutrient,” says functional-medicine dietitian Katherine Wohl, RDN, IFNCP.
Equally, a meal containing a number of sugar (suppose French toast with syrup and a big cup of sweetened espresso) can set off an insulin response that leaves you feeling not simply hungry however cranky. You would possibly then crave protein or fats, an indication that your physique is struggling to get macronutrients that may fulfill it. (To study extra about how extra insulin can provoke starvation, see “Hungry No Extra.”)
Lastly, it’s possible you’ll simply want water. “Typically when individuals suppose they’re hungry . . . they’re really thirsty,” notes Lipman.
