Although potatoes are the only vegetables included in ‘The Satiety Index’; the evidence from analysis of the results for other foods, indicates that fibre, especially soluble fibre, when combined in foods with high water content, increases satiety significantly.
From this, we can conclude that most vegetables, with their low calorie content and high fibre/water content, will contribute significantly to satiety, whilst contributing very little, in terms of calories.
I.e. vegetables are great low calorie filing foods to assist weight-loss.
There are many studies which support this theory:
Researchers wanted to test the effect of consuming salads as a first course and how this affected the amount of calories eaten in the main course.
The researchers tested salads with varying energy density and portion size. The findings of this study was published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
42 participants were asked to eat first-course salads of varying energy density and portion size.
They were asked to finish their first course meals.
They were then given pasta as their main course. They were allowed to eat as much pasta as they wanted.
The researchers measured the amount of calories consumed in the main course and levels of satiety. The researchers found the following when comparing with those having no first course;
- consuming the low-energy-dense salads reduced meal energy intake by
- 7% for the small portion
- 12% for the large portion
- consuming the high-energy-dense salads increased intake by
- 8% for the small portion
- 17% for the large portion
The calorie density of salads are affected by the dressings.
The researchers concluded that eating low-energy-dense salads, enhanced satiety and reduced the amount of calories eaten in the main course.
They further said that a salad for weight loss is an effective strategy when a large portion is eaten before meals. The salads have to be of low energy density.
This study shows that the addition of more vegetables into the diet increases satiety whilst contributing relatively few calories, meaning that we eat less of more calorific foods to reach fullness.
The extra vegetables will only assist weight-loss if they are added without the addition of extra fat, in the form of high-calorie dressings, as too much fat has little effect on satiety, whilst contributing a lot of calories.
The salad doesn’t have to be served before the meal, to have this effect. It can be served with the main meal.
I am in the habit of eating most of my meals with salad now and I really miss it if I don’t have it now.
I dress it with lemon juice and Sumaq.
More Evidence For The Power of Vegetables to Assist Weight-Loss.
In another study, normal-weight women were served breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks over three 2-day periods. At meals they could eat as much of a main dish as they wanted.
The main dishes were all low in fat, but they varied in vegetable content.
For example, for lunch, the women were served a pasta dish.
On some days, the pasta salad had fewer vegetables and more pasta, on other days, some of the pasta was replaced with chopped vegetables.
On the days when more of the pasta was replaced with vegetables, the participants consumed 30% fewer calories!
They felt just as full and satisfied, but they were consuming 400 fewer calories each day!
This is clear evidence that the vegetables used in this study would be higher in the satiety index than pasta at least!
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