Hunger pangs are a natural body function signaling that it need continued nutritional intake to continue functioning. So, eating something in response to the pangs is obviously normal. However, many people resort to eating as a reaction to times of stress, anxiety and depression. So we need to make sure we’re eating quality nutrition that actually satisfies our physical hunger and not just resorting to emotional eating.
Some foods naturally help reduce hunger pangs you might experience between meals. Maybe more importantly, hunger pangs triggered more by emotions than by true physical hunger.
Regardless of the root of your hunger, you can easily fight it off with some delicious and nutritious foods.
These 5 foods act as appetite suppressants to fight against those spontaneous urges to eat:
- Water – Technically, water is not a food, but nothing is more vital to the human body. It’s extremely important to make sure you stay well-hydrated throughout the day. Since the human body often reads thirst as hunger, it is easy to go for a caloric snack when a freebie from the fountain would suffice. Water as a weight control tool is often overlooked. Try to drink at least one cup, or eight ounces, of water each hour early in the day then begin to taper off in the afternoon to thirst. Add some ice cubes so your body has to work harder to bring the water to body temperature.
- Green Tea – This one works in tandem with water, actually. Heat up some water then toss a tea bag in, and you are already two-for-two on this list. Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is an epic phytonutrient that helps stimulate the hormone cholecystokinin, or CCK, which creates that glorious feeling of satiety. EGCG gets bonus points for activating thermogenesis, or fat burning.
- Apples – Whether you prefer red, green or golden varieties…apples are a great way to fend off any sudden hunger pangs…at any time of the day. The key appetite suppressing agent, according to Dr. Oz is the soluble fiber, or pectin, so eat up for a dose of tart or sour that will keep your calories in check.
- Spinach – Dr. Richard Kohnke discovered in 2009 that the thylakoids that spinach is rich in…suppress appetite by increasing the level of the hormone leptin. This hormone controls the sense of hunger by telling you when you’re full
- Almonds – In general, nuts and seeds are filled with healthy fats, protein, fiber and vitamins, particularly vitamin E in almonds. So when you eat them in a modest and correct serving size, almonds can help keep you from feeling hungry until your next scheduled meal.