Fool Your Body Into Feeling Full

ByABC News via logo
February 20, 2006, 8:39 PM

Feb. 21, 2006 — -- Americans spend $33 billion a year trying to lose weight, but even if they're successful dropping a few pounds, 95 percent will put it back on.

Now, the diet industry is pouring their research dollars into the science of satiety -- which researches foods that naturally make you feel full.

Scientists are learning more about a hunger hormone called ghrelin. When you're hungry, this hormone is secreted in your stomach and intestines and sends a message to your brain to say it's time to eat.

Nicole Beland, a senior contributor at Women's Health magazine, says you can suppress ghrelin by eating certain foods, so you will then feel full. Carbohydrates and lean protein have been found to slow the production of ghrelin, while foods that are high in fat do not.

When you eat something that is high in protein, carbohydrates or fiber, after 20 minutes the food passes through your stomach to your lower intestines where other hormones are released that tell your brain it's time to stop eating. Then your stomach literally expands when you're full, which is called the gastric stretch, sending another signal to your brain that you are satisfied with your meal.

While more still needs to be learned about why certain foods slow ghrelin, there are some guidelines you can follow. Beland offers this comparison of some basic foods to show which choices are more likely to leave you feeling full: