Foods That Keep You Full With Fewer Calories
Foods that fill you up more for fewer calories usually have more protein, fiber or water, and less fat. In a study that compared 38 foods at the same calories (240 kcal), boiled potatoes were the most filling, about seven times more than a croissant1. The numbers show why: 240 calories of boiled potatoes is 276 g; of croissant, just 59 g.
Same calories, very different amounts
How much of each food makes 240 calories:
| Food | 240 kcal = | About |
|---|---|---|
| Potato, boiled2 | 276 g | 2 potatoes |
| Apple3 | 462 g | 2½ apples |
| Orange4 | 511 g | 3½ oranges |
| Strawberries5 | 750 g | 5 cups |
| Watermelon6 | 800 g | 3 wedges |
| Green salad (no dressing)7 | 1,000 g | 6½ plates |
| Oatmeal, cooked with water8 | 338 g | 1½ cups |
| Lentil soup9 | 400 g | 1½ bowls |
| Greek yogurt, plain10 | 253 g | 1½ pots |
| Boiled egg11 | 155 g | 3 eggs |
| Butter croissant12 | 59 g | 1 croissant |
| Glazed doughnut13 | 57 g | 1 doughnut |
| Milk chocolate14 | 45 g | 1 bar |
| Potato chips15 | 45 g | 2 small bags |
Vegetables, fruit, boiled potatoes and soup give you a full plate for the same calories as one croissant or one chocolate bar. That is a big part of why they fill you up more.
What makes a food filling?
- Protein: a little more filling, and it helps keep muscle when you eat less16.
- Fiber: in trials, people who ate more fiber had lower body weight17.
- Water and volume: the more water, protein and fiber a food had, the more filling it was; the more fat, the less1.
- Whole food over ultra-processed: on an ultra-processed diet people ate faster and about 500 calories a day more18.
High-protein foods with few calories
A chicken breast has 27 g of protein for 142 calories, and a serving of shrimp 20 g for only 84. (How much you need is in How much protein do I need a day?)
| Dish | Portion | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, roasted, skinless19 | breast (86 g) | 27 g | 142 |
| Tuna in water, drained20 | can (172 g) | 41 g | 220 |
| Boiled egg11 | egg (50 g) | 6 g | 78 |
| Greek yogurt, plain10 | pot (170 g) | 15 g | 162 |
| Skim milk21 | cup (249 g) | 9 g | 92 |
| Lentils, boiled22 | cup (198 g) | 18 g | 230 |
| Shrimp, cooked23 | serving (85 g) | 20 g | 84 |
Foods high in fiber
In a large review, the biggest benefits came with 25 to 29 g of fiber a day17. Beans and lentils lead: a cup of lentils has 15.6 g. A slice of whole-wheat toast has more than twice the fiber of white toast for about the same calories.
| Dish | Portion | Fiber | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lentils, boiled22 | cup (198 g) | 15.6 g | 230 |
| Chickpeas, boiled24 | cup (164 g) | 12.5 g | 269 |
| Fava beans, boiled25 | cup (170 g) | 9.2 g | 187 |
| Oatmeal, cooked with water8 | cup (234 g) | 4.0 g | 166 |
| Apple3 | apple (182 g) | 4.4 g | 95 |
| Orange4 | orange (140 g) | 2.8 g | 66 |
| Strawberries5 | cup (144 g) | 2.9 g | 46 |
| Carrot26 | carrot (61 g) | 1.7 g | 25 |
| Green salad (no dressing)7 | plate (150 g) | 2.2 g | 36 |
| Whole-wheat toast bread27 | slice (32 g) | 1.9 g | 81 |
| White toast bread28 | slice (29 g) | 0.8 g | 77 |
Simple swaps that fill you up more
| Instead of | Try | Calories | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange juice, fresh cup, 113 | Orange orange, 66 | −47 | 0.5 → 2.8 g |
| Apple juice cup, 116 | Apple apple, 95 | −21 | 0.5 → 4.4 g |
| French fries medium, 365 | Potato, boiled potato, 118 | −247 | 4.4 → 2.4 g |
| Milk chocolate bar (44 g), 235 | Strawberries cup, 46 | −189 | 1.5 → 2.9 g |
| Potato chips small bag, 122 | Cucumber cucumber, 45 | −77 | 0.7 → 1.5 g |
| White rice, cooked plate, 390 | Brown rice, cooked plate, 369 | −21 | 1.2 → 4.8 g |
| White toast bread slice, 77 | Whole-wheat toast bread slice, 81 | +4 | 0.8 → 1.9 g |
3 easy ways to feel fuller
- Start with a plate of salad or a bowl of lentil soup (153 calories) before the main dish.
- Put protein and fiber in your breakfast: a cup of oatmeal with strawberries and two eggs is about 367 calories with 20 g of protein.
- Eat fruit instead of juice, and have chips and sweets in a portion you count, not straight from the bag.
Frequently asked questions
What food keeps you full the longest?
In a study that compared 38 foods at the same calories, boiled potatoes were the most filling and croissants the least. Foods with more protein, fiber or water, and less fat, usually fill you up more.
Do potatoes make you gain weight?
A boiled potato (136 g) has only 118 calories. Frying is what changes the number: a medium serving of French fries has 365.
How many calories are in a boiled egg?
A boiled egg (50 g) has 78 calories and about 6 g of protein, so three eggs are about 240 calories.
Does fruit make you gain weight?
Whole fruit has few calories for its size: an apple has 95 and an orange 66. Juice is easier to drink and has less fiber: a glass of orange juice has 113.
How much fiber do I need a day?
In a large review, the biggest benefits came with 25 to 29 g of fiber a day. A cup of boiled lentils has 15.6 g, an apple 4.4 g and a cup of oatmeal 4 g.
This is general information, not medical advice, and every number is an estimate. If you have a health condition, ask your doctor or a dietitian.
Sources
35 sources
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- Potatoes, boiled, cooked in skin, flesh, without salt (FDC 170438, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Apples, raw, with skin (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) (FDC 171688, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Oranges, raw, navels (FDC 746771, Foundation) · USDA FoodData Central
- Strawberries, raw (FDC 167762, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Watermelon, raw (FDC 167765, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Lettuce, salad with assorted vegetables including tomatoes and/or carrots, no dressing (FDC 2709822, Survey (FNDDS)) · USDA FoodData Central
- Cereals, oats, regular and quick, unenriched, cooked with water (includes boiling and microwaving), without salt (FDC 173905, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Soup, lentil (FDC 2707462, Survey (FNDDS)) · USDA FoodData Central
- Yogurt, Greek, plain, whole milk (FDC 2259794, Foundation) · USDA FoodData Central
- Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled (FDC 173424, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Croissants, butter (FDC 174987, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Doughnuts, yeast-leavened, glazed, enriched (includes honey buns) (FDC 172758, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Candies, milk chocolate (FDC 167587, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Snacks, potato chips, plain, salted (FDC 169677, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Leidy HJ, et al. The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr 2015;101(6):1320S–1329S · PubMed
- Reynolds A, et al. Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Lancet 2019;393(10170):434–445 · The Lancet
- Hall KD, et al. Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain: an inpatient randomized controlled trial of ad libitum food intake. Cell Metab 2019;30(1):67–77 · PubMed
- Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted (FDC 171477, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, drained solids (FDC 175158, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Milk, nonfat, fluid, with added nonfat milk solids, vitamin A and vitamin D (fat free or skim) (FDC 171270, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 172421, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Crustaceans, shrimp, cooked (FDC 175180, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 173757, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 173753, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Carrots, raw (FDC 170393, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared (FDC 172688, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Bread, white, commercially prepared (includes soft bread crumbs) (FDC 174924, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Orange juice, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) (FDC 169098, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Apple juice, canned or bottled, unsweetened, with added ascorbic acid (FDC 167771, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Fast foods, potato, french fried in vegetable oil (FDC 170698, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Ice creams, vanilla (FDC 167575, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Cucumber, with peel, raw (FDC 168409, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) (FDC 169704, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central
- Rice, white, long-grain, regular, enriched, cooked (FDC 168878, SR Legacy) · USDA FoodData Central