What’s the difference between satiation and satiety?
Satiation occurs during a meal and brings eating to an end. Satiety refers to the sensation of fullness between periods of eating and tends to limit eating until the next meal. Eating foods that have high satiation and/or high satiety might limit overeating and snacking, reduce caloric intake, and reduce weight gain.
Satiety index
The increased prevalence of obesity in the past century prompted Australian researchers to develop a satiety index for common foods. Researchers prepared small meals (240 calories each) of 38 different foods in six food categories. From 11-13 volunteers consumed each meal and rated satiety on a 7-point scale over the ensuing two hours. After completing the lab portion of the study, researchers created a satiety index based on the change in satiety over two hours after each meal. The satiety of white bread was given a satiety index score of 100. Satiety index scores of other foods were calculated relative to that of white bread, with higher scores reflecting higher satiety.
Of the six food categories (bakery products, snacks and confectionery, breakfast cereals, protein-rich foods, carb-rich foods, fruits), fruits and protein-rich foods had the highest satiety index scores. Foods with the highest satiety index score (150 or more) included popcorn (snacks and confectionery), All-Bran and porridge (breakfast cereals), eggs, baked beans, beef steak, ling fish (protein-rich foods), wholemeal bread, brown pasta, potatoes (carb-rich foods), and grapes, apples, oranges (fruits). Because all meals had the same caloric content, those comprised of low-calorie ingredients weighed more and appeared larger in size (mostly due to more water) than those with high-calorie ingredients. Overall, meals with the highest satiety scores tended to have more protein, fiber, and water, and less fat than meals with low satiety index scores. Alas, highly palatable meals had higher levels of sugar and fat. These results suggest a way to limit between-meal eating: At meal time, eat foods with high satiety index values. This approach might limit snacking, reduce intake of calories, fat, and sugar, while increasing intake of protein, fiber, and water at meal time.
Metabolic benefits of high-satiety foods
Foods with a high satiety index can reduce food intake two hours after a meal, that is reduce between-meal snacking. Eggs have a 50 percent higher satiety index compared to white bread or cereal. Researchers at the University of Connecticut found that evidently healthy men with an average age of 35 years who ate three scrambled eggs and 1 and ½ pieces of white toast for breakfast had reduced blood glucose and insulin, less energy intake, and reported greater satiety over three hours after the meal than after a breakfast of a white bagel, ½ tablespoon of low-fat cream cheese, and 6 ounces of low-fat yogurt. The egg breakfast had substantially more fat and protein and less carbohydrate than the bagel breakfast. Something about the egg breakfast, perhaps the higher satiety of eggs compared to bagel, led to better post-meal blood glucose and insulin profiles and decreased caloric intake over the following 24 hours.
Key points for satiety as related to weight management
A review summarized advances in understanding satiety as it applies to weight management. The key points included the following: 1) on an equal calorie basis, foods can have wide ranges of satiety, 2) larger meals (in terms of weight and/or volume) tend to be regarded as inducing more satiety, 3) satiety appears to have a strong learned component, 4) higher expected satiety predicts less food intake at a subsequent meal. Together, these findings suggest a strategy of limiting weight gain: Emphasize bulky foods with lower caloric content that are expected to be more satiating.
What to do
Bulky foods with relatively low caloric content include vegetables (especially the non-starchy kinds) and fruits, as well as whole-grain bread and beans. Emphasizing these foods in your daily meals might help you limit between-meal snacking and maintain a healthy weight.
