When it seems like the world and his now-skinny wife are on weight-loss drugs, it’s easy to forget that there are ways to make yourself feel full without relying on jabs. Ozempic et al mimic the hormone GLP-1 to give us that sensation of satiety, but it can also be activated by what and how we eat.
1. Focus on fibre
Fibre is key to satiety, as well as being good for gut health. A 2024 Imperial College study found that high-fibre diets stimulate the release of the gut hormone peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY), which reduces appetite and food intake. The lead researcher, Dr Aygul Dagbasi, recommends oats and legumes as excellent sources of fibre.
2. Fill up on ferments
There is evidence that fermented foods such as yoghurt, sauerkraut and sourdough bread help you feel full. One theory is that the positive effects on the gut of the micro-organisms in these foods also trigger satiety signals.
3. Mix it up
“Eating a diverse diet leads to a diverse range of microbes in the gut and this leads to lower levels of hunger,” says Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of the Zoe nutrition app. And because variety is more psychologically satisfying, that can reduce the urge to snack out of boredom.
4. Let them eat cake
Good news for the sweet-toothed: in 2024 a Swedish study found that those who had the occasional sweet treat were healthier than those who had no treats at all — unless the treat was a sweet drink. The study’s author, Suzanne Janzi, says that consuming sugars in sweetened drinks, rather than cakes and other sweet foods, makes you feel less full, “potentially leading to overconsumption”.
5. Pack in the protein
Eating healthy fats and protein helps fill us up, and the best sources are extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, fatty fish and tofu. Meat, particularly red meat, should be enjoyed more occasionally, however, as eating it regularly and in large quantities has been associated with negative health outcomes.
6. Stick to an “eating window”
You can reduce your hunger levels, and improve your mood and energy, by eating within a ten-hour window (and fasting for the other 14 hours), according to a 2023 King’s College trial. People who saw the greatest benefits were those who kept to the same eating and fasting times each day.
7. Red wine can help
Yes! It’s rich in quercetin, a phytonutrient that stimulates GLP-1 release, says the nutritionist Federica Amati. Other good sources are red apples, berries, capers, red grapes, green tea, asparagus and herbs including dill and parsley. Walnuts, flaxseed and other foods that contain alpha-linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid) are thought to trigger the hormone too.
8. Work your jaw
Chewing slows down the rate of eating and stimulates satiety hormones — another reason to avoid easily wolfed ultra-processed foods (UPFs). “A steak sandwich on real bread with lots of vegetables on the side may have the same calories as a minced beef burger in an emulsified bun but will fill you up much more,” says Dr Chris van Tulleken, the author of Ultra-Processed People.
