10 foods that naturally suppress your appetite

It may come as a surprise to read that certain foods can actually help you achieve your weight loss goals. These foods work by slowing stomach emptying, blocking nutrient absorption and influencing those all-important hunger hormones. Of course, a balanced and varied diet combined with adequate physical activity and restful sleep are the three main elements to maintaining a healthy weight, but there are also specific foods that may give you the edge.

Discover our full range of health benefit guides, and check out 10 ways to suppress your appetite and all you need to know about intuitive eating.

10 natural appetite suppressants

1. Eggs

Evidence shows that an egg breakfast is more sustaining than the equivalent calorie-counted carb one and, what’s more, an egg may help reduce calorie intake later in the day. That’s because eggs are rich in protein, which is more filling than either fat or carbs and appears to influence appetite stimulant hormones like ghrelin. Eggs score highly on the satiety index, a measure of how filling a food is.

A medium poached egg contains:

• 309kJ / 74Kcal
• 5.3g fat
• 0g carbs
• 0g sugars
• 6.7g protein
• 4.0g fibre

Start your day well with these filling breakfasts:

Mushroom brunch
Scrambled eggs with basil, spinach & tomatoes
Baked eggs with spinach, tomatoes, ricotta & basil
Slow cooker Turkish breakfast eggs

2. Beans and pulses

Eating fibre-rich foods like beans and pulses helps distend the stomach and promote that all-important "I’m full" message. Studies report that diets high in certain types of fibre, such as that found in beans and pulses and some other vegetables, supports the release of a fullness hormone called peptide tyrosine tyrosine; this signals the brain to stop eating and has been proven to help weight management. Other useful fibre-rich foods include peas, brussels sprouts and broccoli.

100g cooked kidney beans contains:

• 391kJ / 92Kcal
• 0.6g fat
• 15.7g carbs
• 0.6g sugars
• 6.9g protein
• 8.3g fibre

Get inspired with beans:

Kidney bean curry
Mexican bean soup with guacamole
Spicy harissa bean stew

3. Bitter-tasting (high cocoa) dark chocolate

A 2011 study reported that, compared to milk chocolate, bitter-tasting, high-cocoa dark chocolate promoted greater satiety, a reduced desire to eat something sweet, and lower subsequent energy intake – great news if you’re a chocolate lover!

25g of dark, 70-85% cocoa chocolate contains:

• 626kJ / 150Kcal
• 10.7g fat
• 9.2g carbs
• 6.3g sugars
• 1.9g protein
• 2.7g fibre

Try these delicious dark chocolate recipes:

Chocolate-dipped strawberries
Dark chocolate & pistachio porridge
Dark chocolate walnut butter cups

4. Fatty fish

Fatty varieties of fish, like salmon, mackerel and sardines are rich in omega-3 fats. These have been shown to influence levels of the energy-balancing hormone leptin, and increase our sense of fullness after a meal, even when following a calorie-restricted diet.

A 140g cooked fillet of salmon contains:

• 1357kJ / 325Kcal
• 20.4g fat
• 0g carbs
• 0g sugars
• 35.3g protein
• 0g fibre

Get inspired with these delicious fish recipes:

Lemon & marjoram sardines with walnut & pepper dressing
Pan-fried salmon
Smoked mackerel, courgette & butter bean salad

5. Almonds

Nuts, like almonds, contain a number of nutrients and phytochemicals that we find difficult to digest. This means we’re unable to access approximately 5 -15% of their calories. Consuming a modest amount of nuts, say one small handful, is also linked to a lower body mass index and a reduction in hunger.

A 30g serving of almonds contains:

• 760kJ / 184Kcal
• 16.7g fat
• 2.1g carbs
• 1.3g sugars
• 6.3g protein
• 2.2g fibre

Try these almond recipes:

Healthy chicken katsu curry
Chicken, red pepper & almond traybake

6. Avocado

Many weight-watchers shy away from avocado because of its high calorie content, but don’t be put off! Evidence shows that the fat and fibre in avocado results in enhanced feelings of fullness, which helps regulate our appetite and guides us towards making healthier choices later in the day.

An 80g portion of avocado contains:

• 627kJ / 152Kcal
• 15.6g fat
• 1.5g carbs
• 0.4g sugars
• 1.5g protein
• 3.6g fibre

Tuck into these recipes:

Quinoa chilli with avocado & coriander
Green goddess avocado salad
Avocado & black bean eggs

7. Apples

Consuming whole fruit, like apples, increases our sense of satiety and may suppress appetite. This is especially effective if eaten before a meal, and is partly due to the type of soluble fibre (pectin) found in apples. Animal studies also suggest that plant compounds called polyphenols influence appetite-regulating hormones like GLP-1, the same hormone that weight-loss jabs such as Ozempic act on.

A medium-sized apple contains:

• 215kJ / 51Kcal
• 0.5g fat
• 11.6g carbs
• 11.6g sugars
• 0.6g protein
• 1.2g fibre

Try these tasty ways to enjoy apples:

Spiced apple crisps
Crisp sage & parmesan pork with red apple coleslaw
Crispy chicken & apple slaw

8. Oats

Oats are a source of complex carbs. This means they provide slow-releasing energy that doesn’t spike blood sugar levels, helping to dampen carb cravings. In addition, the soluble, gel-forming fibre in oats helps improve our sense of fullness, reduces appetite and potentially helps us resist food temptations later in the day.

150g of porridge made with semi-skimmed cow’s milk contains:

• 536kJ / 126Kcal
• 3.5g fat
• 18.1g carbs
• 6.2g sugars
• 6.9g protein
• 1.5g fibre

Start the day well with these tasty options:

Carrot cake overnight oats
Protein overnight oats
Chia & almond overnight oats

9. Cold rice and pasta

Research has found that cooking pasta or rice, then cooling it, changes its carb structure and increases resistant starch. As its name suggests, this starch is resistant to our digestive enzymes, making cooked-then-cooled rice or pasta act more like fibre in the body and meaning we absorb fewer calories from them. Reheating leftover pasta makes it even richer in this resistant starch, and has beneficial weight-related outcomes.

150g cooked white pasta contains:

• 934kJ / 219Kcal
• 0.6g fat
• 49.4g carbs
• 0.9g sugars
• 7.2g protein
• 3.9g fibre

Try these easy recipes:

Pesto pasta salad
Tuna pasta salad
Veggie hummus pasta salad

10. Glucomannan-rich noodles

Glucomannan is a gel-forming fibre found in konjac, a starchy root vegetable. You can buy konjac in the form of noodles and pasta from health food stores and larger supermarkets, although be sure to read labels because the fibre may be combined with other ingredients. Glucomannan works by extending how long it takes for your stomach to empty, keeping you full for longer. It also encourages your liver to produce glycogen, which helps suppress appetite.

100g glucomannan contains:

• 35kJ / 9Kcal
• 0g fat
• 0g carbs
• 0g sugars
• 0.2g protein
• 4.0g fibre

Try this Chikuzen-ni.

Natural supplements that suppress appetite

Beyond high-fibre foods, protein-rich meals and healthy fats, there are some useful herbs, drinks and supplements that may improve satiety, reduce cravings and help you manage your calorie intake. Here are some of the most well studied:

• Caffeine
• Cayenne pepper (capsaicin)
• Fenugreek
• Ginger
• 5-HTP
• Green tea extract
• Yerba mate

Overall, can you naturally suppress your appetite?

Hunger is an important cue because it is the body’s way of telling you when you need to refuel. However, if you’re trying to manage cravings and control your weight, whole foods remain the safest and most effective way to do so.

Enjoyed this? Read more of our health guides:

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Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a BANT Registered Nutritionist® with a postgraduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including Good Food.

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