Losing weight would be so much easier if we didn’t feel hungry all the time. Eating processed foods devoid of vitamins and minerals signals our body to respond with the most obvious survival reaction: hunger. No matter how many calories you eat, you will feel unsatisfied without the nutrients your body requires. The good news? Fiber is hunger’s Kryptonite. The following high fiber foods will help you feel satisfied after your meals and avoid those dreaded late-night binges.
Raspberries
This tasty berry packs a powerful punch of nutrition. Here is a short list of benefits you can look forward to:
- Reduced cancer risk thanks to a high dose of antioxidants (10x more than is contained in a tomato!)
- Increased heart health due to a healthy dose of potassium, which will maintain your heart beat and blood pressure
- Healthy skin and a beautiful complexion
- Boosted mood and ability to focus
Barley
Barley is a high fiber grain with many uses. You could bake it into a casserole, stuff it into vegetables, or mix it with a hot bowl of soup when winter comes. You can also look forward to a lower cholesterol level, which is super important since high cholesterol tends to correlate with heart disease, the leading cause of death in America.
Lentils
Lentils are a quick and easy meal option that are high in fiber. They also carry a hefty dose of protein, the building block of muscle which will help you recover after a tough workout. You could add lentils to a pasta, salad, soup, or stir fry.
Artichoke
The artichoke is a fiber-rich vegetable that requires careful preparation due to a tough exterior, but your effort will be rewarded with a high dose of Vitamin K, which will boost your bone strength and reduce the odds of future fracture in old age. Click here to access a step-by-step guide that will help you crack open an artichoke and enjoy the many nutritional benefits.
Hot Chocolate
Instead of going for that third or fourth cup of coffee, switch to some hot cocoa for a tasty surprise that will boost your brain power.
Popcorn
Snack foods aren’t the healthiest option in the world, but we all deserve the occasional indulgence. Instead of munching on candy the next time you enjoy a movie marathon, opt for natural popcorn which includes fiber and a surprising amount of antioxidants.
Oranges
If you would like to immediately boost the fiber in your diet, toss out your carton of orange juice and replace it with a whole orange. Most of an orange’s fiber content is lost in the juicing process, but if you insist on drinking juice, make sure it is full of pulp so you can get as much fiber as you can.
Almonds
Fat does not make you gain fat: in fact, the opposite is much more likely according to a prospective study published by the journal Obesity. This 28-month study tracked the weight of 8,865 men and women in Spain. The study participants who ate nuts at least twice per week were 31% less likely to gain weight than those who did not eat nuts. The fat and fiber contained in nuts will help your stomach feel full and satisfied, so take a bag of nuts with you to work so you can make a healthy choice in case of hunger.
Oatmeal
Have a nice hot bowl of oatmeal with your eggs in the morning to start your day strong with a high dose of protein and fiber. For bonus points, toss some fresh raspberries in your oatmeal for a tasty and nourishing treat.
Hummus
Eating vegetables with ranch dressing might taste good, but it also adds a lot of empty calories devoid of nutritional content to your daily intake. Swap your ranch dressing for hummus to boost your fiber intake and feel more satisfied by your snack.
Eat these high fiber foods if you want to stay full and satisfied after every meal.
Make sure you eat a high fiber food at every meal if you want to avoid late-night hunger and the binge-eating that often accompanies it. If you would like to check out a comprehensive list of foods that contain fiber, click here. Do you have any delicious fiber-rich recipes that you’d like to share? If so, comment below!
