6 filling foods to choose (and 9 delicious recipes)

When you choose foods that fill you up (expert tip: look for foods containing protein and fibre) you're less likely to overeat, and more likely to stay on track with your weight loss goals.

Hungry? Try thesescience-backed picks from Wendy Bazilian, co-author of Eat Clean, Stay Lean to add more staying power to your meals and snacks.

Beans are brilliant - they're an easy addition to a wide range of recipes and super filling, too. Adding beans and legumes like chickpeas, black beans, and lentils to a meal increases satiety by an average of 31%, according to a recent scientific review published in the journal Obesity.

When it comes to fullness, these tiny powerhouses seem to pack a one-two punch. They're complex carbohydrates, which deliver energy, and they're rich in fibre. But they also have protein, which takes longer to process and helps you stay satisfied for longer. “It’s a slow, sustained release of blood sugar, which can lengthen satiety,” Bazilian says.

Veggies like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, peppers and celery have a low calorie density. That means that they’re low in calories for their serving size, but because they’re high in water and fibre, they have more volume, which means they take up more space in your stomach.

“If you choose foods that have a lower density of calories in each bite, you’ll get a bigger portion for your calorie needs,” says Barbara Rolls, PhD, Director of the Laboratory for the Study of Human Ingestive Behaviour at Penn State University and author of The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet.

Eggs are absolutely packed with protein, which digests at a slower rate than carbohydrate-based foods and helps keep you satisfied for longer, says Bazilian.

But that’s not all - a small study also suggests that eggs could suppress the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin, which may help stop overeating in its tracks.

The even better news? Eggs are such a versatile food, and there are opportunities to use them for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack recipes. Check out your options on the WW app!

A 285g pot of Greek yogurt delivers around 22g of protein, which can help keep you feeling fuller for longer and reduce any desire to overeat. What’s more, Greek yogurt is relatively high in water, so it adds volume in your stomach. Combined, those two things will keep you satisfied, Bazilian says.

Of course, not all yogurts are created equal. Plain yogurt is a better choice than the flavoured stuff, since it’s free from added sugars.

Starting dinner with a soup can help you consume fewer calories overall, some studies show. Like non-starchy vegetables, soups have a low-calorie density, and all that liquid will help fill you up for relatively few Points®, Rolls says.

The key is sticking with broth or tomato-based soups instead of cream-based ones - think minestrone or butternut squash. For even more staying power (for example, if you’re having soup for a meal) consider adding a source of lean protein like shredded chicken, Rolls says.

Oats are rich in soluble fibre, a type of fibre that becomes viscous and gel-like when combined with liquid, says Bazilian. Oats are also thought to impact appetite-reducing hormones, which makes it more likely you’ll eat less overall. They also leave your stomach at a slower rate than simple carbs such as those found in doughnuts, for example.

But there’s one important caveat: because soluble fibre needs liquid to thicken up, oats seem to be the most filling when they’re cooked in water or milk to make porridge. “A muffin or breakfast bar made with oats probably won’t have the same level of effect, since they don’t have as much water,” Bazilian says.