Foods that Fill you Up (the Right Way!)

Hey Fit Teens! You're crushing it in your workouts, pushing your limits, and feeling stronger every day. But what you put into your body is just as important as how you move it.

To put foods into perspective, today let's talk about foods' satiety index which can be a game-changer for fueling your energy, managing your weight, and feeling satisfied without reaching for unhealthy snacks all the time.

Understanding the Satiety Index

The satiety index measures how full different foods make you feel after eating the same amount of calories. The index is white bread with a satiety index of 100. Foods with a higher satiety index score tend to keep you feeling fuller for longer.

What would you choose?

6 slices of bread (720 calories) or 343 grams of potatoes (240 calories)? You'll feel equally full after each but the potatoes have a third of the calories. Yes I know boiled potatoes are bland but so are 6 unbuttered slices of bread :)

Simply Put: The foods that make you feel more satisfied after you eat them typically have more protein, water, and fibre, which take longer for your body to digest.

Why Does Satiety Matter for Teens?

As active teens, you need plenty of fuel to support your energy levels, muscle growth, and overall development. However, constantly feeling hungry can lead to reaching for quick, often unhealthy, snacks that don't provide lasting satisfaction. Choosing foods with a high satiety index can help you:

• Manage Hunger Effectively: Feel fuller for longer, reducing the urge to snack frequently.

• Make Healthier Choices: Highly-processed ingredients & foods have less nutritional value and are often digested more quickly making you feel hungry again sooner.

• Maintain Steady Energy Levels: Avoid energy crashes that often follow a sugar high. Note: these highs don't only come from sugar but also from any processed carbohydrates that digest easily and hit your blood stream quickly.

• Support Healthy Weight Management: By feeling full on fewer calories, you can better manage your weight in a healthy way.

• It saves your Family Money: Eating high satiety foods means you feel full while eating less meaning your family can be well fed for less.

6 Smart Swaps for Increased Satiety:

Small swaps to your food choices can make a big difference in how satisfied you feel:

1. Instead of white bread, choose wholemeal.

2. Swap toast or sugary cereal, for oatmeal with fruit and yoghurt.

3. Grab a couple of pieces of fruit instead of a cookie or chocolate bar.

4. Instead of chips, snack on vegetables with hummus or unbuttered popcorn.

5. Have a filling bowl of soup with lentils instead of ramen noodles.

6. Have potatoes instead of rice with your curry.

7. Try wholemeal pasta (188%) instead of white pasta (119%).

Listen to Your Body:

While the satiety index is a helpful guide, it's also important to listen to your own body's hunger and fullness cues. Eat slowly, pay attention to how you feel, and stop when you're satisfied, not bursting at the seams!

Fueling your body with nutrient-dense, high-satiety foods is a smart way to support your energy levels, make healthy choices, and feel your best both inside and out. So, next time you're choosing your snacks and meals, think about how these kinds of foods can help you feel fuller for longer and ready to conquer your day!