{"id":630754,"date":"2026-06-10T08:00:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T08:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/630754\/"},"modified":"2026-06-10T08:00:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T08:00:16","slug":"nine-foods-that-leave-you-hungrier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/630754\/","title":{"rendered":"Nine foods that leave you hungrier"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eating meals and snacks<\/a> that lack sufficient amounts of certain nutrients like protein<\/a> and fibre can sometimes leave you feeling hungry soon after, leading to those focus-interrupting mid-morning or mid-afternoon energy slumps.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople often focus on calories, and believe that all foods with the same calories will keep them equally satisfied, but that\u2019s far from the truth,\u201d observes registered dietitian Kyra Collins. \u201cFoods that keep us fuller for longer tend to contain more protein and fibre and require more chewing, a factor that helps trigger fullness hormones, increasing sensory and psychological satisfaction and stabilising energy levels. Foods that are lower in these nutrients are often digested quickly and feel much less satisfying, meaning you tend to reach for something else not long after.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fibre appears to play an important role<\/a> in satiety, adds nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert<\/a>, author of The Fibre Formula<\/a>. \u201cAs it helps slow gastric emptying and supports a steadier release of energy, yet around 96 per cent of adults in the UK are not meeting the recommended fibre intake. Increasing fibre-rich foods such as beans, lentils, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and vegetables can support not only gut health<\/a>, but also fullness, energy and overall dietary balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of thinking about avoiding certain foods, \u201cAsk, \u2018What can I add?\u2019\u201d Collins suggests. \u201cDoes it have the two s\u2019s?\u2019 Is it satisfying and satiating? If a meal or snack isn\u2019t enjoyable (satisfying), then you will go looking for that enjoyment shortly after eating and likewise, if it isn\u2019t filling (satiating), you will seek out more food. Pairing snacks is a great way to get both. Think apple and peanut butter, cheese and grapes, cottage cheese with berries, boiled egg and spinach.\u201d<\/p>\n

A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice<\/p>\n

This classic breakfast combo is quick, affordable and provides energy and some nutrients (particularly if the cereal is fortified). \u201cHowever, more refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst contributing to one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit, which means some people find they are hungry again within one to two hours,\u201d Collins explains. <\/p>\n

\u201cTo increase the satiety of this meal, swap the orange juice<\/a> for a whole orange or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.\u201d Or swap the cereal<\/a> for porridge oats made with milk. \u201cOats contain a soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which slows digestion and contributes to fullness. Traditional porridge oats tend to be more filling than instant sachets or ready-made pots, which are more processed and broken down, meaning they\u2019re digested more quickly and are often less satisfying.\u201d <\/p>\n

As a general rule of thumb, when selecting breakfast cereals, Bahee Van de Bor<\/a>, consultant paediatric dietitian and BDA media spokesperson, suggests looking for options that provide at least 5-6g of fibre per 100g. \u201cThen add nuts, seeds and Greek yoghurt on the side. By comparison, oats provide around 9g fibre per 100g.\u201d <\/p>\n

A croissant or jam on toast <\/p>\n

\u201cGrabbing a croissant in the morning might feel indulgent, but it often doesn\u2019t keep people satisfied for long,\u201d Collins notes. \u201cThis is because it is made primarily from refined flour and butter, is relatively low in protein and fibre, and can be eaten quickly. Instead of ditching the croissant completely, you may prefer to add eggs, cream cheese, nut butters or smoked salmon and serve with some fruit such as a banana, apple or berries. Increasing the protein, healthy fats and fibre will balance out the carbohydrates, slow digestion and keep you feeling fuller for longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The same goes for a slice of toast with jam. \u201cWhilst it may feel filling initially, it is mostly carbohydrate and without protein or fibre, it is digested quickly, leaving you feeling hungry again quite soon after,\u201d Collins adds. <\/p>\n

Overnight oats or eggs are usually a far more sustaining start to the day, notes Van de Bor. \u201cAlternatively, enjoy one small pastry and fill up on a slice of wholegrain toast with avocado or a nut butter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sushi <\/p>\n

\u201cWhile many shop-bought sushi packs are relatively low in calories and include some fish or vegetables, they contain a large proportion of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest,\u201d Collins says. \u201cAs a result, people may feel hungry again soon after eating, especially when paired with a packet of crisps and a high sugar drink in a meal deal, which can lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar. While this isn\u2019t dangerous, your body processes that sugar very quickly, which can lead to a sudden drop in energy that leaves you feeling hungry again soon after eating.\u201d <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re having sushi on the go for lunch, she suggests having it alongside a sugar-free drink alternative, with a side of edamame, chicken satay skewers, or boiled eggs \u201cto slow down the digestion and provide a slower release of energy\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe added protein and fibre will trigger fullness hormones and add bulk to the meal to delay hunger returning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plain vegetable soup or a salad made mostly of leaves<\/p>\n

While opting for vegetable soup is a great way of upping your daily veggies, \u201con its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return surprisingly quickly,\u201d Van de Bor points out. \u201cAdding protein makes a real difference. Think beans, lentils or shredded chicken. Simply opening a can of mixed beans brings added variety, which is also great for the gut microbiome. Pair it with wholegrain bread, and you have a much more sustaining meal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similarly, a salad on its own which is made mostly of leaves is likely going to leave you feeling a bit peckish. Lambert advises adding carbohydrates such as potatoes or sweet potatoes, protein and fats such as quinoa, chickpeas, avocado or salmon to bulk it out and make it a more complete meal. <\/p>\n

Pizza or pasta on its own <\/p>\n

Yes, pizza is delicious, but if you find you\u2019re often reaching for the snack draw soon after devouring one, you\u2019re not alone. Unless it\u2019s loaded with veggies, it\u2019s probably pretty low in fibre, Van de Bor says. \u201cAdding a side salad or vegetables is an easy way to increase fibre intake and improve fullness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, plain pasta, particularly white pasta, which may make you feel full initially is yet another refined carbohydrate that lacks protein and fibre. Lambert suggests adding lentils, chicken, tofu or beans, alongside vegetables.<\/p>\n

Smoothies <\/p>\n

Smoothies typically contain fruit, some vegetables and other nutritious ingredients, \u201cbut liquids are generally less filling than solid foods because they require little chewing and can be consumed quickly, which may not trigger satiety signals as effectively,\u201d Collins explains. \u201cTo make it more satisfying, thicken the smoothie with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats, increasing the protein, fibre and nutrients and making it take longer to consume. Or pair it with a handful of nuts like almonds, which are high in fibre and healthy fats.\u201d<\/p>\n

This also helps slow the release of sugars from the blended fruit and supports more stable blood sugar levels, points out Van de Bor. <\/p>\n

Snack bars, plain rice cakes or crackers <\/p>\n

\u201cSnack bars are often marketed as healthy choices, yet they can be high in sugar and low in protein,\u201d Collins says. Even those marketed as \u201chigh protein\u201d can sometimes contain a long list of additives. \u201cBecause they are small and energy dense, they are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you\u2019re after, it would be better to swap these for something more satiating,\u201d Collins says. <\/p>\n

Similarly, rice cakes and crackers tend to be very low in fibre and protein, \u201cso they\u2019re digested rapidly and don\u2019t feel satisfying for long,\u201d Van de Bor explains. That\u2019s why they are best combined with things like peanut butter, hummus or cottage cheese. \u201cIf you\u2019re eating them as part of a meal, throw in a salad or a bowl of soup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other balanced snack combinations that can help support steadier energy levels across the day include apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries, hummus with oat biscuits and vegetables or crackers with cheese or tuna, Lambert adds. <\/p>\n

Low-fat yoghurts<\/p>\n

Some low-fat varieties can be lower in protein and higher in added sugar, \u201cwhich isn\u2019t a great combination for satiety,\u201d Van de Bor notes. \u201cA full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre combination.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alcohol on an empty stomach<\/p>\n

\u201cAlcohol doesn\u2019t provide lasting fullness and can actually increase appetite,\u201d Van de Bor says. \u201cHaving it alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre makes a meaningful difference. Always follow UK guidelines for alcohol consumption.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Eating meals and snacks that lack sufficient amounts of certain nutrients like protein and fibre can sometimes leave…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":630755,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[242,1991,612,102,9294,10428,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-630754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-features","tag-food","tag-food-and-drink","tag-health","tag-healthy-diet","tag-healthy-eating","tag-nutrition","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630754","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=630754"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630754\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/630755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=630754"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=630754"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=630754"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}