Frequent hunger pangs take place due to nutritional deficiencies, poor diet or high levels of emotional stress. Here's a list of foods which can help you suppress your diet naturally.
Frequent hunger pangs take place due to nutritional deficiencies
HIGHLIGHTS
- One of the major causes of weight gain is binge-eating
- Almonds can act as a snack for suppressing your appetite naturally
- Avocados are a fibre-rich food which can suppress your appetite naturally
One of the major causes of weight gain is binge-eating. Healthy or unhealthy, binge-eating in no way is helpful. You eat when you feel hungry, and in the same way you eat too much when you experience frequent hunger pangs. Frequent hunger pangs take place due to nutritional deficiencies, poor diet or high levels of emotional stress. There are ways of suppressing your appetite with medication, but what if we recommend some natural appetite suppressants.
Chief Dietitian Dr Ritika Samaddar explains this phenomenon, "Ideally when we talk about diet, we talk about macro nutrients and their impact on weight gain and weight loss. There are three of them, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Carbs make you feel more hungry because of insulin secretion. As a result, you long for more food. On the other hand, proteins and fats are the suppressants. This is because proteins take a longer time to digest and stay in your stomach for longer. Hence you feel more satiated after protein consumption. So is the case with fats. So from the nutritional point of view, fats and proteins are the hunger suppressants."
"One needs to plan their diet in such a way so that protein and fat intake is maximized. The non-vegetarian sources of protein or the lean protein are recommended here. These foods are 100% protein. Whereas the vegetarian sources of protein like dal both proteins and carbs. So the A-class proteins are recommended as a suppressant. Fats, however, must be checked before consumption. Excess fat intake may take a negative toll on your heart. So one must take healthy fats, monounsaturated fatty acids and omega 3 fatty acids are the healthiest. Canola oil, nuts, olive oil, rice bran oil, avocados are high in healthy fats," Dr Samaddar explained.
Here's a list of 10 natural diet suppressants which will help you feel full for longer and promote weight loss:
1. Eggs
You must ensure that you consume protein-enriched foods like eggs. People who consume eggs in breakfast do not experience frequent hunger pangs and consume lesser calories throughout the day as compared to the rest.
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2. Almonds
Almonds can act as a snack for suppressing your appetite naturally. Your daily requirement of antioxidants, magnesium and vitamin E can be met with a handful of almonds. These delicious nuts induce a feeling of fullness and prevent you from binge-eating.
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3. Avocado
Avocados are a fibre-rich food which can suppress your appetite naturally. The fats in avocado send signals to the brain saying that the stomach is full, hence suppressing appetite.
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4. Water
Surprised, aren't you? Water is also a natural diet suppressant and for good reason. Drinking just 2 extra glasses of water is a great way to suppress your appetite. Zero calories of water will ensure satiety without adding extra pounds to your body fat. Drinking water before your meals will ensure that you consume lesser calories, hence preventing binge-eating.
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5. Dark chocolate
Love for chocolate needs no explanations which is why people end up binge-eating them all the time. However, with the bitterness of dark chocolate, this craving can be curbed. Just a piece or two of dark chocolate will send your brain signals of bitterness and will curb your appetite significantly. Steric acid in dark chocolate slows down digestion which makes you feel full for longer.
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6. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is high in carbs which keeps you full for a longer period of time. These slow-digesting carbs make you feel satiated for prolonged hours after consumption. Oatmeal suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin thus preventing you from binge-eating.
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7. Flaxseeds
Essential fatty acids and soluble fibre make flaxseeds the perfect add on for your salads and smoothies. Besides the many health benefits of this seed, one is suppressing appetite. In ground form or whole, flaxseeds are a great way to fuel up and stay full for prolonged hours.
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8. Hot sauce and peppers
Add a few teaspoons of cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce on your food not just to spice it up, but to prevent you from eating more. Spicy foods are a great way to suppress your appetite and boost your metabolism. Just a teaspoon of cayenne pepper boosts your metabolism and burns 10 calories.
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9. Skim milk
Ladies, we know the kind of hunger pangs PMS symptoms can put you through. But the one drink which can help you suppress those hunger pangs during your time of the month is skim milk. One serving of this drink for two weeks before your period begins can decrease your cravings for unhealthy food.
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10. Salmon
Salmon increases leptin levels in the body. This hormone is known to suppress hunger pangs. You can also try tuna and herring for the same effect.
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(Dr Ritika Samaddar is the Chief Dietitian at Max Hospital)
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
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