5 sattmachende Lebensmittel

For us athletes in particular, hunger can be a tormenting condition that can lead us away from the nutritional path of virtue, despite all the discipline we display. Instead of blocking out the feeling of hunger or eating something healthy, we tend to eat unhealthy things with a growling stomach or eat significantly more than is good for us, which has a negative impact on our sporting success in the long term, as the seemingly insatiable hunger returns at ever shorter intervals. In this article, we would therefore like to inform you about the hormonal causes and present five foods that are able to suppress hunger.

Hunger is caused by the interaction of key hormones

The two hormones ghrelin and leptin are mainly responsible for regulating the feeling of hunger, which counteract each other and thus ensure a balance. The cause of hunger is the gradual drop in blood sugar levels after eating, which causes leptin levels to fall and ghrelin levels to rise. The existing hormonal imbalance, which is in favor of ghrelin, causes the body to express its need for nutrients. If we then eat something, the fat cells in our body release the satiety hormone leptin, which releases appetite-inhibiting neurotransmitters and leads to a further equalization of the concentration of ghrelin and leptin. Normally, this cycle works smoothly, but if we stuff ourselves with huge amounts of high-glycaemic carbohydrates as part of the binge eating that often occurs, the blood sugar level drops rapidly despite the intake of large amounts of energy, so that our body once again declares an energy emergency. To prevent this from happening in the first place, you should make sure that you eat the right foods so that you can consciously control your hormone levels and thus your feeling of hunger.
Satisfier 1 - Oat bran
Admittedly, the term oat bran makes most people think of everyday life in a retirement home rather than sports nutrition, but this often underestimated food helps to quickly fill the stomach with volume and thus send the corresponding neuronal signals to our brain. The reason for the satiety effect is, on the one hand, the high proportion of complex carbohydrates, which prevents the rapid rise in blood sugar levels. On the other hand, oat bran contains an extremely high amount of fiber, which swells up both in the stomach and in the intestines when it comes into contact with liquid, thus creating a satiety stimulus. However, you don't have to eat oat bran on its own to control your hunger, as just two to three teaspoons are enough to make you feel much fuller. You can stir this amount into your morning muesli, for example.
Satisfier 2 - Whey protein
As scientific studies have shown, the consumption of just 8 grams of whey protein leads to a significantly greater feeling of satiety compared to casein and other types of protein. Accordingly, the assumption that whey protein is the most flexible protein product to use is increasingly being confirmed.
Satisfier 3 - Green tea
Green tea is also a multifunctional food that has a positive effect on your body in two ways. On the one hand, green tea contains a substance called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is primarily responsible for stimulating gastrointestinal activity and triggering themogenesis and therefore optimizing fat burning. In addition, the ingredients of green tea activate the release of the hormone CCK, which suppresses the feeling of hunger.
As the EGCG concentration in classic green tea is not excessively high and you would therefore have to drink large quantities, we recommend using capsules with green tea extract, which you take 2-3 times a day 30 minutes before eating.
Satisfier 4 - Apples
The reason why apples are particularly suitable as a filling food is the fact that they are made up of water and a large proportion of fiber in the form of cellulose, which swells in the stomach and creates a feeling of fullness, which ensures the release of satiety hormones at a neuronal level. Apples also contain pectin, which ensures that the insulin response is less rapid in the context of food intake.
Satisfier 5 - Lean red meat
Even if red meat is not necessarily one of your favorite foods, you should be aware that eating lean red meat will increase your energy expenditure, as significantly more time and energy is required for digestion. In addition, the fat contained in meat ensures the release of the hormone CCK, which suppresses hunger. Especially in this context, you should not be afraid of consuming fats, as they are essential for maintaining your metabolic activity. Therefore, make sure that you consume at least 1 gram of fat per kilogram of body weight every day.