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Higher-satiety eating: What satiety means & how to get started
Let’s start with a seemingly simple question: Why do most traditional diets fail? While we don’t understand all the mechanisms that cause weight regain, we know part of the problem is an uncontrolled increase in hunger that often accompanies calorie restriction.
Hunger tends to beat willpower over months and years — or even between breakfast and lunch.
But, in today’s ultra-processed food environment, eating enough to feel satisfied and avoid hunger often means eating more calories than your body needs — leading to weight gain, metabolic disorders, and health issues.
What does ‘satiety’ mean?
Satiety is a word that may feel foreign, as most people don’t use it in everyday conversations. Although nutritionists and scientists commonly use it, you aren’t likely to hear the word “satiety” at a dinner party or by the water cooler. We hope to change that.
Satiety, or the sensation of fullness after eating, is key to a healthier diet and lifestyle. This guide introduces the satiety per calorie concept — a game-changer in managing weight, body composition, and enhancing well-being.
How is satiety measured?
There’s a lot of strong evidence that certain qualities of food are excellent at predicting how satiating or likely to curb your hunger they are. We found a way to quantify it with our proprietary satiety algorithm and give it a score from 0 to 100, which we call the satiety score.
What is higher-satiety eating?
In the simplest terms, higher-satiety eating means eating foods that offer the most nutrition and satiation for every calorie consumed. On our satiety scale, it is simply foods that score in the upper half. Let’s get into the details of what’s behind our satiety score and how it works.
The science of satiety
Contradictory to some opinions, satiety is not subjective or dependent on your genetic predisposition. In fact, there’s very little evidence to support this claim. However, there’s a lot of solid evidence that protein percentage, energy density, fiber content, and something we call the hedonic factor are helpful at predicting how satiating food is.
The basics of feeling full and satiated
Higher satiety foods keep you fuller for longer, aiding in weight management and preventing overeating. Lower satiety foods drive overeating and consumption of empty calories, leading to chronic metabolic health disorders like obesity, hypertension, diabetes, etc.
Satiety, or food's ability to provide healthy fullness, can be quantified – we call this satiety per calorie. Four factors determine how likely food is to quench your appetite: protein percentage, fiber content, energy density, and hedonic factor.
Satiety factors
Our proprietary satiety per calorie algorithm considers four properties and calculates the score of that food based on the values of those properties. This can be applied to single ingredients, dishes, and snacks. It can also be used to evaluate weeks and months of the food you’ve eaten, giving you an easy-to-understand evaluation of how healthy your diet is.
Protein percentage
High-protein foods not only promote a lasting feeling of fullness but also are essential in managing hunger efficiently. Consuming foods high in protein is associated with enhanced satiety over time, positively affecting the score.
Fiber content
Similar to protein, a high fiber content positively influences the satiety score. Fiber plays a key role in weight control by helping reduce overall calorie intake, as it contributes to a sense of fullness and slows down digestion, leading to a prolonged feeling of satisfaction.
Energy density
The relationship between energy density and the satiety score is inversely proportional. Foods lower in energy density, meaning they have fewer calories for their weight, contribute to a higher satiety score because they allow for larger, more satisfying portions that aid in weight loss without compromising fullness.
Hedonic factor
The hedonic factor, or the appeal of foods due to concentrated combinations of fat, salt, sugar, and carbs, negatively impacts the satiety score. This factor refers to the hyper-palatability of foods, which can lead to overeating. By evaluating foods’ hyper-palatability, our algorithm can identify those likely to contribute to excessive calorie consumption and lower their satiety score accordingly.
The satiety score
We created an algorithm that assigns all foods and food combinations a score from 0 to 100 based on protein percentage, fiber content, energy density, and the hedonic factor. We call it the satiety score. The satiety score allows you to see the real nutritional value of food in the context of calories. Nutritional labels are complex mazes that offer a lot of data but little useful information for the vast majority of the population. Essentially, the satiety score tells you how nutritious a calorie of any particular food or meal is and how good it is at appetite control.
What are the benefits of a high-satiety diet?
Higher-satiety eating works because you can get all your nutrition with fewer calories, without deprivation. This makes it more likely that you will naturally feel the urge to stop eating after consuming fewer calories — without the cravings and hunger that come with simple calorie reduction.
Nutrition science supports that, in general, eating more protein improves hunger, weight loss, and body composition.
In addition, micronutrient density tends to correlate well with higher protein foods.
Therefore, focusing primarily on protein allows you to achieve adequate nutrition, reduce your hunger, and maintain your muscle mass — all important pillars of healthy weight loss.
Nutrition science also supports that short-term satiety is tracked well with meals that contain more fiber and are built around foods with lower energy density.
Eating higher-volume-per-calorie foods can help you feel fuller with fewer calories. This works well in the short term.
Combining higher fiber/lower energy density foods with higher protein foods likely results in combined short- and long-term satiety.
Does higher-satiety eating work with other diets?
Higher-satiety eating is just a way to identify the best foods for metabolic health, regardless of your eating preferences. You can follow carnivore, vegan, vegetarian, keto, or any other diet and use the satiety score to identify foods that are high in satiety, yet fit your dietary preferences.
Who should try high-satiety eating?
Individuals exploring numerous diets without discovering a lasting, effective method for weight management or health enhancement.
People achieving success with their current nutritional plan yet seeking a more enduring and fulfilling dietary approach.
Those battling frequent hunger pangs, unnecessary snacking, or intense food cravings.
People who want to manage their food intake without the burden of counting every calorie.
Individuals on a specific diet who initially saw positive changes but are now facing a weight loss or health improvement plateau.
Followers of a specific diet searching for a broader selection of foods that would bring joy back to eating.
Identifying high-satiety foods
There are tens of thousands of high-satiety foods and their combinations. You can see the satiety score of any food or food combination in the Hava app. But before making any changes, we suggest logging everything you eat for a week without making any changes to your diet and seeing your satiety score for that week. You can do so by starting a free 7-day trial!
We recommend aiming for an average score of 50. Is your weekly score already at 50? Then try to bump it up to 60-70 the next week and see how you feel and how it affects your goals.
Adjust your target score for goals
Our satiety scoring system is not a case of “higher is always better.” Instead, there is a point where seeking a super-high average score will mean your food choices are very limited and less tasty. Your score depends on your primary goal. For simplicity, we divide the satiety scores into three tiers.
0-29: Low
This tier provides the least nutrition and satiety. Think of the ultra-processed foods, empty calories, and generally very little nutritional value. If most of the foods you eat are in this range, it means your body will require more of it to get the nutrients it needs, easily leading you to over-consume calories. You’re unlikely to lose weight or be metabolically healthy if your diet scores between zero and 29 over long periods.
It can be fine and enjoyable to include some low-satiety foods as part of your diet. However, for best results they should be balanced with higher-satiety foods so that your average for the day is in the medium range.
30-69: Medium
This medium range is where most people may do best, eating nutritious foods that provide enough energy without making you overeat. Note that this is a pretty wide range and depending on your situation you may want to aim for an average of 40, 50, 60, or even towards the top of the range.
If you are very physically active and thin, consider starting around 40 on average, as this will allow you to get the energy that you need to fuel your activity.
If you are of normal weight and activity level and want to maintain this, you may want to aim for scores around 50 on average. This should also long-term lead to slow steady improvements for many people with excess weight and metabolic issues. Consider 50 a balanced midpoint, a reasonable goal for most people.
If you want to lose a significant amount of weight, significantly improve your metabolic health, or if you're aiming to be strong and lean, consider aiming for 60 or even the high 60s.
The higher you go, the leaner you are likely to become, faster. However, it may become more challenging to eat a varied and tempting diet the higher you go. In plain English, very high satiety foods may feel boring and less pleasurable for many. However, we'll do our best here at Hava to guide to good options that can allow you to enjoy your eating a lot even in the high 60s.
70-100: High
While it's a great idea to eat nutritious high-satiety foods regularly, you should avoid doing it exclusively over days or weeks.
If your average score is in the high range over the long term, there is a risk that you will under-eat calories, leading to excessive weight loss, and feeling tired and miserable. It will also tend to be quite boring. You can't live on just protein and fiber, or egg whites and spinach. You would end up starving yourself, which is a very bad idea.
We recommend staying below 70 for your daily average.
Satiety FAQ
Is high-satiety eating a diet?
High-satiety eating isn’t a specific diet but a guide to making informed food choices. Rather than focusing on calorie counting — which we don’t advocate for — it emphasizes selecting foods that are nutritious and satiating. If you do this, you can eat as much or as little as you want, and still get good results.
This approach is flexible, aligning with any dietary preference or restriction, whether you avoid dairy, gluten, or carbs or prefer a plant-based or meat-centric diet. Think of it as a tool to identify the most nourishing foods for the calories they provide, adaptable to any nutritional philosophy.
How does high-satiety eating benefit metabolic health?
High-satiety eating boosts metabolic health by maintaining blood sugar levels, increasing insulin sensitivity, managing weight, enhancing fat burning, and balancing appetite hormones. Choosing nutrient-rich, filling foods helps avoid blood sugar spikes, minimizes the risk of insulin resistance, curbs overeating, and aids in weight management, thereby improving metabolic function and overall well-being.
How does high-satiety eating help with weight loss?
High-satiety eating aids weight loss by managing hunger and minimizing intake of low-nutrient calories. It focuses on foods rich in nutrients that satisfy hunger, helping you consume fewer calories without feeling deprived. This approach enables a sustainable calorie deficit, essential for weight loss, while ensuring nutritional needs are met.
How does high-satiety eating compare to low-carb diets in terms of weight loss and metabolic health?
High-satiety eating complements low-carb diets by focusing on food quality for better weight loss and metabolic health. It’s not an alternative but an enhancement, prioritizing filling, nutrient-dense foods. Research suggests combining low-carb principles with high-satiety choices offers optimal benefits, balancing fullness and carb reduction for effective weight management and improved metabolic markers. This integrated approach aligns dietary satisfaction with health goals, creating a comprehensive strategy for long-term success.
Can I still enjoy indulgent foods while practicing high-satiety eating?
Absolutely! High-satiety eating isn’t about giving up the foods you love; it’s about balance. You’re encouraged to enjoy your favorite indulgent foods in moderation, as long as you can do this (if you are addicted to certain foods you should still avoid them).
By integrating these treats with nutrient-dense, filling foods, you can control hunger and maintain a balanced calorie intake more effectively. Strive for a diet that makes you feel satisfied overall by focusing mainly on foods high on the satiety scale.
I’m not losing weight as fast as I want to, or I have plateaued. What to do?
If your weight loss has slowed or you’ve hit a plateau, try improving your daily satiety score. Focus more on protein and fiber-rich foods and cut back on highly palatable ones. It’s normal for weight loss to slow or pause, especially as you get closer to your goal. Daily weight changes are also typical. Keep up your healthy habits and be patient with the process.
Is high-satiety eating suitable for everyone?
High-satiety eating is generally a great fit for many, but everyone’s unique. It’s key to pay attention to how your body responds and adjusts to meet your nutritional requirements and satisfaction. For those with particular health issues or dietary needs, it’s wise to seek advice from a healthcare professional or dietitian to tailor the approach to your specific situation.
References
1. Nutrients 2021: Are dietary proteins the key to successful body weight management? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing body weight outcomes after interventions with increased dietary protein. Link
2. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2013: The effect of fiber on satiety and food intake: a systematic review. Link
3. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2022: Caloric reformulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of manipulating food energy density on daily energy intake. Link
4. Obesity 2019: Hyper-palatable foods: development of a quantitative definition and application to the US Food System Database. Link
