Fill it up!

Yesterday we talked about reducing your portion sizes by using a smaller plate, but there are also a few foods that are great at filling you up, even in small portions. The trick is to eat nutrient-dense foods; this means that, calorie for calorie, these foods are high in vitamins and minerals that increase their food value. Take for instance peanut butter - this is an excellent protein/fat combination that is satisfying in taste and great at controlling your hunger for a longer period of time. The fat is monounsaturated, which is the best kind of fat you can have! Next is fish - fish fills you up more than any other meat, and has as much as 22 grams of protein in just a 3.5 oz. serving, along with the added value of omega-3's (your heart healthy fat). We've talked about eggs previously - these get the gold medal for being the perfect protein; even though the yolk is a cholesterol fat, the egg as a whole is not high in fat so you are not getting very much. Then come your high-fiber foods - one of the best is oatmeal. The fiber expands in your stomach making you feel fuller faster (wow!), is low in calories, and keeps you feeling full until lunch. Quaker even has a weight control one out now that has added protein AND extra fiber. Fruits, particularly apples, oranges and pears are high in vitamins and minerals, and high in fiber. They are full of water and low on calories - yeah!! So, the plan here is to focus on low-volume intakes with high-volume nutrition - an easy solution to what you might have thought was a difficult problem (and we have enough of those!!). Happy eating - M.