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What is satiety? How fullness works when you diet

The science of fullness in plain English, and how to use it to make a deficit easier.

Written by Updated 7 min read

Satiety is the feeling of fullness that lasts after a meal and holds back the next urge to eat. It is the difference between a deficit that feels manageable and one that feels like a fight. Protein, fibre, water-rich foods and slower eating all increase it. Set your calories first with the cutting calculator and the TDEE calculator, then use the ideas below to make them easier to stick to.

Infographic: What makes food filling?. Fullness comes from protein, fibre and volume.
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Satiation versus satiety

  • Satiation is what makes you stop eating during a meal.
  • Satiety is how long you stay full afterwards.

Both depend on the stomach stretching, hormones released by the gut, and signals to the brain, plus habits, taste and attention. That is why the same calories can feel very different depending on the food.

What research says about filling foods

In 1995, researchers at the University of Sydney fed volunteers 38 foods in portions of equal energy (1,000 kJ, about 240 calories) and measured fullness over the next two hours. White bread was the reference at 100. Boiled potatoes scored about three times higher, with fish, porridge, oranges and apples also scoring well above white bread, while the croissant scored lowest at about half. The study was small and short-term, but it matches what many people notice: foods that are heavy, high in water, protein or fibre fill you up on fewer calories (Holt and colleagues, 1995).

A volume exampleIn a study at Penn State, adding 300 g of salad worth just 100 calories to a pasta meal reduced total meal calories by about 11 percent, or 57 calories (Roe, Meengs and Rolls, 2012). The salad took up room and added fewer calories than the food it replaced.
Same calories, different volumeOne butter croissant (about 100 g) has roughly 400 calories. A breakfast of 40 g oats (about 150 calories), 170 g plain Greek yoghurt (100), a cup of raspberries (64) and a banana (105) also totals about 420 calories, but weighs around 450 g and brings about 18 g of protein and 10 g of fibre. The second breakfast is more likely to keep you going until lunch.

What boosts satiety

FactorWhy it helpsExamples
ProteinMore satiating per calorie than carbohydrate or fat in most studiesEggs, Greek yoghurt, fish, chicken, lentils
FibreAdds bulk and slows digestionBeans, oats, berries, vegetables
Water and volumeFills the stomach with few caloriesSoups, salads, fruit, vegetables
Eating slowlyGives time for fullness signalsSmaller bites, no screens
Solid foodUsually fills more than the same calories as a drinkFruit instead of juice

Using satiety in a deficit

  1. Anchor meals on protein. Aim for 25 to 40 g per meal. See the high protein grocery list.
  2. Add fibre. Beans, oats and fruit raise fullness; the highest fibre foods list shows amounts.
  3. Fill half the plate with vegetables. See high volume, low calorie foods.
  4. Start with soup or salad. They add volume before the main course.
  5. Eat sitting down, without a screen, and slow your pace.
  6. Sleep. Short sleep increases hunger for many people.

Keep the deficit modest. A very large deficit makes hunger harder to manage, which is one reason moderate calorie restriction works better than crash dieting.

The limits of fullness hacks

Fullness is only one driver of eating. Habit, stress, social settings and tasty food can override it, and calories still count. Highly processed foods can be easy to overeat even when they contain some protein. If hunger is constant or you are preoccupied with food, your deficit may be too big or too long. A short break at maintenance (maintenance calories calculator) can help, and a doctor or dietitian can support you if the problem persists.

Set a moderate deficit so your plan stays satisfying.

Open the cutting calculator

Frequently asked questions

What is satiety?
Satiety is the feeling of fullness that lasts after a meal and delays the next urge to eat. It is different from satiation, which is the fullness that makes you stop eating during a meal.
Which foods are most filling?
In a classic 1995 study of 38 foods, boiled potatoes were the most filling per calorie, followed by fish, porridge, oranges and apples. Protein-rich and high-fibre, high-water foods tend to do best.
Does protein keep you full?
Evidence generally shows protein is more satiating than carbohydrate or fat per calorie, which is one reason higher-protein diets can help during a deficit.
Why do I feel hungry soon after a meal?
Low protein or fibre, very fast eating, liquid calories, poor sleep and low total energy can all shorten satiety. Highly processed foods that are easy to overeat can also play a role.
Is feeling hungry a sign my diet is failing?
Some hunger is normal in a deficit. Constant hunger usually means the deficit is too big or meals are not filling. Slow down the deficit and raise protein and fibre.

Keep reading

High volume low calorie foodsEat more, for less.Portion control for weight lossHand-size servings.A weight loss planStart to finish.

Sources

  1. Holt SH, Miller JC, Petocz P, Farmakalidis E. A satiety index of common foods. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1995;49(9):675–690.
  2. Roe LS, Meengs JS, Rolls BJ. Salad and satiety: the effect of timing of salad consumption on meal energy intake. Appetite. 2012;58(1):242–248.
  3. Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. PubMed 28642676
  4. Jensen MD, Ryan DH, Apovian CM, et al. 2013 AHA/ACC/TOS guideline for the management of overweight and obesity in adults. Circulation. 2014;129(25 Suppl 2):S102–S138. PubMed 24222017