How Do Vegetarians Feel Full?

If you're considering becoming a vegetarian but are worried you'll always feel hungry on this type of diet, rest assured, this doesn't have to be a problem. You don't need meat to feel full. A number of things affect satiety, including the energy density, or calories per gram, of the food you eat, the amount of protein it contains and the glycemic index of your meals.

Energy Density

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is the amount of food you eat and not the calories that determines how filling your meals are. Choose foods that are low in energy density, like those that are high in fiber or that contain a lot of water, instead of those that are high in fat or sugar and thus high in energy density. That will allow you to fill up without going over your recommended calories for the day. Broth-based soups, salads, fruits and vegetables all tend to be low in energy density.

Protein

• Protein is more filling than either carbohydrates or fat, according to an article published in May 2008 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," so make sure to include protein in each of your meals or snacks. Vegetarian protein sources include beans, nuts, whole grains and even some vegetables. Eggs and low-fat dairy products are also nutritious protein sources, if you include them in your vegetarian diet. Beans, peas and lentils, which are common in vegetarian diets, may help you feel fuller for up to two to four hours after you eat them, according to an article published in "Advances in Nutrition" in November 2010.

• Glycemic Index

• The glycemic index measures how quickly a food increases your blood sugar levels after you eat it. Foods that are low on the glycemic index may keep you from feeling hungry for longer than foods that are high on the glycemic index, according to an article published in "Nutrition in Clinical Care" in 2003. Nuts, beans and some fruits and vegetables, including grapefruit, peas, raw carrots and raw apples are all low on the glycemic index.

Considerations

• While animal sources of protein can contribute to feelings of fullness, they aren't the only foods that increase satiety. A healthy vegetarian diet including a variety of different foods will also cause you to feel full after eating. Eating whole foods instead of highly processed foods will provide you with more nutrients and potentially be more filling, since fruits, vegetables and whole grains tend to be less energy dense than more processed foods that contain lots of added fat and sugar.