Foods That Suppress Cravings

When you are trying to maintain a healthy weight you have to be able to control your cravings for unhealthy foods, and thankfully there are several healthy natural foods that will suppress your appetite and help you control your desire to reach out for a bag of chips or chocolate. The next time you are starting to crave unhealthy food, try one of these healthy foods that suppress cravings  and see if they help you control your appetite.

Food #1 - Apples

Apples are a HCG diet food and are rich in fiber, and eating one is a great way to stave off hunger for a while until you can have a proper meal. If you enjoy eating apples, be sure to always have a few of them around and snack on them whenever you are feeling cravings, and you'll find that it's a lot more difficult to gain weight and that you won't be as hungry all the time.

Food #2 - Pistachios

Pistachios are an excellent weight loss food like many other nuts because they are very low in calories and are high in fiber and healthy fats. Pistachios are a lower calorie option than almonds or peanuts and almost all of the fats in pistachios are heart healthy polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. These fats can reduce your risk of heart disease, and when you eat them on a regular basis you are less likely to gain weight. Snacking on nuts or pistachios whenever you can is always a better option than most snack foods, and you shouldn't worry too much about the calorie content.

Food #3 - Green Tea

Green tea isn't a food exactly, but it's one of the healthiest ways to reduce your appetite. It improves thermogenesis which helps your body burn more fat for energy. A phytonutrient (one of the many in green tea) called EGCG actually also helps you feel satiated. Green tea can help reduce your cravings for food for up to four hours per day, and it also burns your existing fat and helps you control your food cravings. It can actually change how your body metabolizes fat when you drink it on a regular basis, and it's a must have if you enjoy it and are looking for a way to reduce your cravings for food.

Food #4 - Pine Nuts

Like pistachios, you shouldn't worry too much about the calorie content of pine nuts. Pine nuts are rich in healthy fats like pistachios, and there is a particular fatty acid in them called pinoleic acid that releases satiety hormones when you eat them. Pinoleic acid also stimulates the release of CCK which is a compound that reduces hunger. The hunger reducing effect of pine nuts is just temporary, but it's a great way to stave off your cravings for junk food until you can have a proper healthy meal. They are also a convenient snack to have with you, and you can even add the raw oil into your salads or other recipes for some of the same health benefits you would get from eating the nuts.

Food #5 - Kale

Kale and pretty much every other green leafy vegetable is always a good option for a hunger suppressant. Studies have shown that dark leafy green vegetables like kale reduce insulin. Structures called thylakoids have been shown to decreased hunger and basically act as a natural hunger suppressant. Several studies have linked kale consumption with a reduction in weight. Kale has been shown to also lower blood sugar levels and improve the body's insulin sensitivity, which can reduce pre-diabetic symptoms. Studies have found that adding green leafy vegetables to meals reduces your hunger and desire to eat more calories, and green leafy vegetables have dozens of other health benefits like reducing your cancer risk, stabilizing your blood sugar, and more.

Food #6 - Olive or Coconut Oil

Adding olive or coconut oil to your meals is one of the best ways to control your cravings. Coconut oil in particular is one of the best natural oils to reduce your hunger. It's rich with medium chain fatty acids which boost your metabolism and keep you full for a longer period of time. Coconut oil and olive oil both also slow down digestion which keeps you feeling full by triggering the release of the hormone CCK. Several studies have now found that CCK is one of the most important hormones involved in appetite control, and by increasing your dietary intake of healthy fat you can effectively control the influence of this hormone so that you aren't starving food junk food all the time.

Food #7 - Healthy meat/fish/protein

In this category, foods like eggs, salmon, white fish, beef, chicken, turkey, and other low fat organic animal meats are a great option for hunger control. Protein breaks down slower than carbohydrates and it releases satiety signals to the brain for a longer period of time than carbs. Diets that restrict your carbohydrate intake while maintaining protein intake, like the HCG diet, are very effective at helping to control hunger. It's always a far better idea to snack on a piece of chicken breast or turkey rather than chips or anything that's rich in carbohydrates; you'll be full for a far longer period of time and you won't cause a spike in your blood sugar which can lead to insulin resistance.

Food #8 - Grapefruit

Grapefruit along with several other citrus fruits are a great option for appetite control, and if you find that you're often snacking on junk, snacking on grapefruit and other healthy fruit can be a quick fix for the habit. Grapefruit is rich in fiber and water which helps you feel more satiated. It also protects your heart by reducing your bad cholesterol. It boosts your fat metabolism without any extra effort which is another great and unique benefit of this fruit in particular, and it's one of the reasons why it's one of the few allowed HCG diet fruits. It helps to stabilize your blood sugar throughout the day so that you aren't feeling starved, and it helps your body burn excess fat. It's a natural and easy way to control your hunger, and if you want to reduce your overall calorie intake, try eating a half of a grapefruit before your main meals of the day.

About the author

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

About

Constance Tambakis Odom, MD graduated in 1987 with her Doctorate of Medicine from the New York Medical College, and was an Anesthesiologist Resident from 1988 to 1991 at the Brookdale Medical Center PGY II (CA-I)-PGY IV (CA-III). She is Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology since 1998 and American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine since 2002. Constance Odom, MD is affiliated with the American Medical Association, American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiology, Georgia Society of Anesthesiology, Hellenic Medical Society of New York, North Carolina Society of Anesthesiology, and Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia.

Credentials

Medical Director At:

• Nu Image Medical
• MetroMedispa P.A.

Staff Anesthesiologist at:

• Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn, NC
• Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, NC
• Duplin General Hospital in Kenansville, NC

Director of Anesthesia Services at:

• Jacksonville Surgery Center in Jacksonville, NC

5 years ago · 4 min read