5 tips for feeling full longer after eating less.

Choosing foods that are high in fiber or low in calories, and eating slowly with thorough chewing, will help you feel full longer and reduce cravings.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Head of the Gastroenterology Department at Military Central Hospital 108, one of the causes of obesity is uncontrolled daily eating. Many people eat a lot at each meal but get hungry quickly, and when they are hungry, they continue to eat. This process repeats itself, leading to obesity.

According to Associate Professor Tuan, these 5 tips will help you feel full for longer even when eating less.

Choose foods with low energy density.

Energy density refers to the number of calories per unit weight of food. Generally, foods rich in water, fiber, and protein contain less fat. Sweets, fast food, and fried foods, on the other hand, are high in sugar and fat, and therefore have a high energy density.

Therefore, eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, grains, lean meat, fish, dairy products, beans, etc., to provide your body with enough energy without worrying about weight gain.

Eat large portions of food.

For example, with the same energy level of 100 kcal, we have two options: a small piece of cake and 7-8 pieces of french fries, or a glass of milk and a large plate of vegetables.

The second group of foods takes up more space in the stomach but contains less fat and sugar. This helps you limit weight gain while still feeling full.

Eat plenty of fiber.

According to nutrition experts, fiber helps prevent cancer and is good for health. Fiber is not easily digested and is absorbed into the body, so after eating it, it usually remains in the digestive tract for a long time, absorbing water and expanding 15-25 times its original size. This makes people feel full for longer.

Fiber-rich foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, soybeans, mushrooms, and seaweed. The recommended daily fiber intake is approximately 30g, equivalent to 200g of whole grains, 500g of green vegetables, 250g of fruit, and a handful of soybeans. People with digestive problems should cook their food thoroughly before eating.

Eat slowly, chew thoroughly.

Blood sugar levels typically rise significantly within 15 minutes of starting a meal and can peak within 30 minutes. At this point, the brain begins sending satiety signals to the intestines and stomach, causing the feeling of hunger to quickly disappear. Therefore, eating too quickly means consuming too much food before the signals are sent, affecting the ability to control food intake.

A reasonable mealtime is 20-30 minutes. It is recommended that an average person chew their rice 20 times until it is thoroughly softened before swallowing.

Choose foods that are difficult to digest.

The faster food is digested in the digestive tract, the shorter the time it remains there. When the digestive tract is empty, hunger will return.

Foods rich in sugar and starch are digested and absorbed most quickly. Therefore, limit your consumption of foods such as bread, rice, noodles, vermicelli, pho, and pastries. If using refined white rice or noodles, combine them with whole grains to slow down the absorption process.

Additionally, choose foods rich in protein such as soybeans, lean meat, fish, shrimp, and dairy products to increase feelings of fullness for longer. While high-protein foods are high in calories, 30-40% of them are burned off during digestion and absorption.

In fact, foods that make you feel full also provide high nutritional value to the body. Dividing these foods into smaller meals will help you enjoy your food more while still controlling your weight.

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