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Common Mistakes You’re Making When Cooking Veggies

Carrots? Check! Broccoli? Got it! If the drawers in your fridge are filled with vegetables that actually find their way to your dinner plate, give yourself a pat on the back. All those years of mom telling you to “eat your vegetables” are finally paying off—and she’s probably so proud! But boosting your health and the quality of your diet isn’t as simple as putting salad fork to mouth. If you want to get the most nutritional bang for your calorie buck (which you should), how you prep and cook your vegetables makes a big difference. Here, we reveal ways you may be taking vital nutrients right out of veggies without realizing it. Plus, get the easy ways to remedy each mistake so you can stay on track to better health and know how to cook vegetables, the right way. 

 

Mistake: You don’t stray from the recipe. 

You may have followed the recipe step-by-step, but that doesn’t mean you cooked your vegetables the right way. One of the most common culinary errors? Exposing vegetables to heat for too long. Doing so destroys the majority of vegetables’ nutrients. Boiling them is also a no-go. This method causes water-soluble micronutrients like riboflavin, folate, and B and C vitamins to leach out into the water—which most people then pour straight down the drain. Another surefire way to nix all the nutrients in your veggies? Throwing them into a deep fryer. No matter how healthy your veggies are, they can’t undo the damage that comes along with all the excess fat 

The solution: Skip the boiling and long cooking times. Instead, steam your veggies for five minutes and then finish them in a saucepan over medium heat. If you want to make homemade “fries,” stay far away from the deep frier and bake your crunchy sticks on a metal tray instead. 

 

Mistake: You’re smoking them out. 

While you may love the slightly-burnt flavor that your grill lends to veggie kabobs, the hot and dry environment can deplete your produce’s nutrients. What’s worse, if you leave them on the grill long enough that they develop a blackened, charred appearance, that’s a sign the veggies could have been exposed to benzopyrene, a carcinogenic chemical found in cigarette smoke. Another recipe for nutritional disaster? Slathering veggies in oil rather than cooking them over extra-high heat in an attempt to sit down to the dinner table sooner. When oil is exposed to extreme heat, it creates smoke that can break down the antioxidants in vegetables. 

The solution: Next time you’re BBQing outside, ditch the kabobs and cook your vegetables in a grill basket instead. This tactic eliminates the risk of consuming dangerous char, while helping the veggies retain their moisture, vitamins, and minerals. Whipping up dinner indoors? Stick to medium-high cooking heat and skip the olive oil drizzle before heating your veggies. Cooking them dry and adding the fat after will help cut back on antioxidant-depleting smoke. 

 

Mistake: You toss out the good parts. 

How many times have you chopped the stalk and leaves off your broccoli and tossed them into the trash? Or peeled off cucumber and potato skins? Don’t be embarrassed if you do it quite often—it’s a common error. But now’s the time to change your ways and stop throwing out the healthiest parts of the veggies. Skins, leaves, and stalks have unique nutrients not found in other parts of the vegetables. They also have higher concentrations of vitamins than parts more commonly consumed. 

The solution: Step away from the peeler and chill with the chop-n-toss. Use broccoli stalks and leaves in stir-fries, soups, and salads to get a hefty dose of health-boosting nutrients. 

Mistake: You use and abuse them. 

Vegetables should be the star of your meal, not a vehicle for calorie- and fat-laden sauces. There are some people who think something is healthy just because it incorporates veggies, when it winds up being one of the worst “healthy” snacks out there! All of you cheese sauce and onion dip lovers out there know exactly what we’re talking about! You may have convinced yourself that your condiment choices are irrelevant when paired with something as low-cal and healthy as vegetables, but that simply isn’t true.  You’re likely loading up on three or four times that, which turns your 20-calorie serving of bell pepper slices into a 470-calorie disaster loaded with 48 grams of fat! 

The solution: When you’re snacking on raw veggies, opt for hummus over dips. Opting for the Greek-inspired spread will save you 60 calories per serving—which really adds up when you’re downing a lot of the stuff. As for you cheese sauce lovers, look for sauce recipes that incorporate cheese—just not as the primary ingredient. We like versions that pair Parmesan with balsamic, garlic, and lemon juice. 

 

Mistake: You skip the sink. 

Conventionally-grown, pesticide-laden vegetables like celery, spinach, sweet bell peppers, and tomatoes all made appearances on the 2018 Environmental Working Group’s annual Dirty Dozen List. If you tend to quickly rinse these veggies—or not wash them at all—you’re likely ingesting chemical residues that can cause stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea. The worst part is, these chemicals don’t just come and go. They hide out in our fat cells until we go on a diet and start losing weight. According to researchers, when the pounds start to come off, the chemicals come out of hibernation and shoot into the bloodstream, slowing energy expenditure and metabolism. 

The solution: Even if you always buy organic, soak your veggies in a pot of water for 10-15 minutes before eating them. Then give them another quick rinse under some running water to make sure they’re clean. 

 

Mistake: You’re not pairing them with fat. 

If you stick with low-fat veggie dip to stay trim, you may be doing your health a disservice. According to Iowa and Ohio State University researchers, pairing a little bit of fat with red, yellow, orange, and dark-green vegetables helps the body absorb cancer-fighting and heart-healthy nutrients like lycopene and beta-carotene. Study findings show that you’ll need to consume six grams of added fat with your veggies to reap the maximum nutritional benefits. While that may seem like a lot, dietary guidelines actually suggest that healthy adults consume no more than 35 percent of total daily calories from fat—which is up to 70 grams a day if you’re consuming a 1,800-calorie diet. 

The solution: Pair your veggies with healthy sources of fat. Typically eat a salad for lunch? Add a half cup of avocado (11 g fat) or two tablespoons of Cucina Antica Organic Caesar dressing (8 g fat) to your plate to hit the nutritional mark. 

 

Mistake: You only eat them raw. 

There’s nothing better than the sweet, crispy crunch of a fresh carrot, but munching on this orange vegetable raw isn’t the best way to get your daily dose of vitamins. According to an International Food Research Journal report, boiling the orange vegetable best preserves its nutrients. If learning this was a bit of a shocker for you, it’s understandable; many other veggies lose their water-soluble vitamins once they’re boiled. Tomatoes also get healthier under the heat. A Cornell University study found that cooking them boosts the amount of lycopene, a disease-fighting antioxidant in tomatoes. Researchers believe that heat softens the plant’s cell walls, allowing more nutrients to be released and then absorbed by our bodies. 

The solution: In the Cornell University study, lycopene absorption rose 35 percent after tomatoes were cooked for 30 minutes at 190.4 degrees F. Follow suit if you want to reap the benefits at home. If you prefer to add carrots to your plate, boil, drain, and transfer them to a bowl and toss with a drizzle of olive oil, a bit of pepper, and dried rosemary to pump up the flavor.  

 

Mistake: You’re juicing away their fiber. 

Yes, juicing is better than eating no veggies at all, but when produce goes through the juicing machine, its fiber-rich skins and pulp that help boost satiety get left behind. The good news is, veggies’ vitamins, phytonutrients, and minerals still find their way to your cup.  

The solution: Toss out your juicer! After removing the seeds and rinds, throw your veggies into a blender instead. This method retains vegetables’ healthy fiber. There are plenty of juicing companies that bottle blended versions, so you can grab a juice on the go without missing out on crucial fiber. If your drink comes out too thick when blending at home, add some water to thin it out a bit. 

 

Warning Signs Your Metabolism Is Slower Than It Should Be

Eating healthy, exercising, and still piling on the pounds? You could have a sluggish metabolism. 

Have you been counting calories meticulously, hitting the gym, getting plenty of sleep, and still not seeing the scale budge? It may not be your fault; your inability to shed those stubborn pounds could be because of a slow metabolism. 

Your metabolism is the process by which your body burns energy for basic bodily functions such as your heartbeat, brain function, and breathing. Since your metabolism burns food for fuel, those with a fast metabolism can seemingly eat whatever they want and not gain weight, while those with a sluggish metabolism have to work that much harder to lose or maintain their weight. 

Here are some of the biggest warning signs you have a slow metabolism. If you experience any of these, be sure to visit your doctor to get your thyroid tested—you could have hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, which is ultimately responsible for your metabolism.  

You gained weight 

The biggest sign of a slow metabolism is unexplained weight gain. If you’ve been eating well and exercising and still packing on the pounds, it could be your metabolism. “[Gaining weight] very frequently goes unnoticed and is blamed on a presumed sense of increased appetite particularly among women,” explains Nutritionists. “This is commonly associated with hypothyroidism, which slows down the basal metabolic rate because of a lack of thyroid hormones which are essential to body’s metabolic activities.” 

You have difficulty losing weight 

Not only can a slow metabolism make you gain weight, but it can also make it super difficult to lose weight even if you’ve been counting calories and exercising extremely diligently. Nutritionists says you may have an inability to lose weight “despite eating a balanced or restricted diet.” 

You’re always tired 

With your body burning energy at a slower rate, this will cause you to feel fatigued more frequently. Aside from weight troubles, fatigue is the most common sign of a slow metabolism says Nutritionists. Your fatigue could be a slow metabolism, but it could also be one of the Warning Signs You Need to Change Your Diet—Fast. 

You have dry skin 

When you have a slow metabolism, your cells aren’t as active as they should be, which means they aren’t getting the proper blood supply. “As the skin fails to gain vital nutrients… the skin loses its luster. Also as your body tries to conserve heat, you don’t sweat as much. This can impact your skin, leaving it feeling dry and cracked. Of course, one solution is buying a moisturizer, but a more natural, diet-based intervention is to stock up on good food. 

Your nails are brittle 

Similarly to how a slow metabolism affects your skin, you may also notice changes in your nails due to lack of nutrients being absorbed by your body. Some common changes include more brittle nails and increased ridges to your nails. 

You’re losing your hair 

The same processes that impact your skin and nails also affect your hair. A slow metabolism can impact your hair’s ability to grow and regenerate. Doctors points to a lack of sufficient micronutrients from a slow metabolic rate that can cause your hair to fall out. 

You get frequent headaches 

When your thyroid hormones are out of whack, which happens with an underactive thyroid, this can trigger headaches or even migraines. 

You keep forgetting things 

Too little thyroid hormone, which regulates your metabolism, can cause poor memory and make you forgetful. 

You’re always cold 

Being cold all the time is a symptom of hypothyroidism, which also slows down your metabolism. If you’re cold all the time, odds are your thyroid isn’t as active as it should be—and neither is your metabolism. “Heat is generated with body’s metabolic activity. A slow metabolism can lead to a decreased core body temperature, she says, which is another sign of hypothyroidism. 

You’ve lost your sex drive 

Low levels of thyroid hormone could mean low levels of sex hormones like testosterone, which may impact your ability to get in the mood. 

You’re feeling depressed 

Since hypothyroidism slows down processes in your body, it’s no surprise your mood can take a hit, too. Depression has been linked to a slow thyroid, and therefore a slow metabolism. 

You have a low pulse rate 

If you’ve noticed your heartbeat slowing down, it could be because of a slow metabolism. “Pulse rate is directly proportional to metabolism, hence a slowed pulse rate occurs in conditions that slow down the basal metabolic rate. 

You crave sugar and carbs 

A slow metabolism is often linked to insulin resistance says Nutritionists. “[Insulin resistance] is a common metabolic condition that means your cells are resistant to the action of insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas that regulates how your cells metabolize energy. “If your body is resistant to insulin that causes chronically slow metabolism.” 

One sign of insulin resistance is a constant craving for sugar and carbohydrates. Since your body isn’t properly utilizing insulin, your cells can’t absorb the glucose in your body, leading to sugar and other carb cravings, she explains. The problem is, the more sugar and refined carbs you eat, the more your body can’t process them, and the more likely you are to pack on excess fat, experience energy slumps, and feel fatigued. 

You have menstrual problems 

“The most common cause of slow metabolism is a thyroid disorder (hypothyroid). The thyroid gland is the ‘master control gland,'” explains Nutritionists. “It helps to regulate other hormonal functions including reproductive hormonal functions. If the reproductive hormones aren’t being produced normally, menstrual problems can occur.” If your cycle is irregular or you are experiencing more cramping than usual, be sure to visit your doctor. 

You’re constipated 

Having trouble going to the bathroom? A slow metabolism can impact other processes of the body, including how often you hit the restroom. “With slower metabolism, the bowel transit time is slower too,” Dr. Besser explains. “It takes longer for food to travel through the GI tract and be properly digested, thus constipation occurs.” If metabolism isn’t to blame, your GI problems could also be caused by these Foods That Cause Digestive Problems.

Reasons Why You Always Feel Hungry

The science-backed reasons behind why you spend more time deciding what to eat next rather than finishing that huge project due at 5 p.m. 

While some people may double check to make sure they have their keys when they leave the house, you have to make sure you have a snack. And if you forget? Let’s just hope no one is around to witness how hangry you get. You think you’re eating enough, but no matter what you put in your body, you always seem to develop maddening cravings. 

So, what exactly is going on here? It turns out that hunger is a pretty complicated function and is influenced by both biological and psychological factors. (And there are also the devilish foods that make you hungrier, too!) We found some of the most common, scientifically-backed reasons why some of us are constantly ravenous. We also paired each reason why you’re always hungry with a tip that can help you fill up and finally feel satisfied! 

You Eat A Lot of Refined Carbs 

Even if you’re eating something at every meal, if your day looks something like this—a cup of sugary, flaked cereal for breakfast, a slice of pizza or a sandwich on white bread for lunch, chips for a snack, either white rice or pasta for dinner, and then a chocolate chip cookie for dessert—your problem is that you’re constantly fueling yourself with nutritionally-deficient refined carbs. Lacking the satiating fiber of their original form, simple and refined carbs burn up quickly in your body, which spikes your blood sugar and then causes it to crash. Low glucose levels are what triggers your hunger hormones, as detailed in a Disease Models & Mechanisms review, leaving you with a craving for more carbs! 

Eat This! Tip: 

For slow-burning, clean sources of energy, choose complex carbs such as grains like brown rice, quinoa and triticale, cruciferous vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain sprouted bread. 

 

You’re Actually Thirsty 

Did seeing that picture of water just make you forget about what you thought was a hungry tummy? A study in the journal Physiology & Behavior suggests people inappropriately respond to thirst over 62 percent of the time by eating instead of drinking. That’s because your hypothalamus regulates hunger and thirst, and sometimes it mixes up its signals. Just sipping on H2O is the solution to quelling your hunger pangs and, ultimately, helping you slim down. In fact, preloading meals with water can shave hundreds of calories from your daily intake. A study published in Obesity found that drinking two cups of water before eating led people to consume 75 to 90 fewer calories over the course of a meal. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Next time you’re hankering for a snack, knock back a cup of water first and wait 20 minutes. If you’re still hungry, eat something. And if you’re sick of plain ol‘ H2O, whip up some of the best detox waters to rev your metabolism and boost your fat burning potential! 

You Eat While Distracted 

Everyone knows that you eat with your eyes, but it turns out, your ears also play a role. A new study, published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, tested how our perception of the sound of eating food affects our eating habits. They had two groups of participants eat crunchy foods, one with white-noise-producing headphones and the other without. These headphones were intended to mimic everyday behaviors of distracted eating, such as watching TV or listening to music while you eat. It turned out, participants who were less aware of the sound of the food, because of the levels of white noise, ate more than those that could hear the food they were eating. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Step away from the TV (or computer, for all you cord-cutters out there) and lower the music during dinner. And if you’re out to dinner at a busy restaurant, maybe think about ordering something crunchy! As long as you can hear the food you are eating, it’ll make you aware of the fact that you’re actually eating food. When you’re unaware, you basically forget that you’re eating, which can lead to an increase in food consumption. 

You’re Always Stressed Out 

While stress may shut down appetite in the short term—it pumps out the hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) that triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response and puts eating on hold—if stress persists, it’s a different story, explains a Harvard Mental Health Letter. Your adrenal glands then release a different hormone called cortisol, which will not only trigger your hunger hormones, but it will also pull lipids from the bloodstream to store them in our fat cells. 

Eat This! Tip: 

You might not be able to control exactly what’s happening in your life that’s making you stressed, but you can control what you’re putting in your body.  

You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep 

If you feel like you’re always delving into your office snack stash, you might be able to blame your lack of sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, levels of leptin (the “I’m full” hormone) drop, according to a PLoS Medicine study, which in turn increases appetite and makes comfort food more appealing. Besides stimulating your appetite a lack of sufficient sleep can cause you to burn fewer calories, lack appetite control and experience an increase in cortisol levels, which stores fat. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Having trouble falling asleep? Get the recommended 7-8 hours of shut-eye by following plan for better sleep. 

You Eat According to Calories, Not Nutrients 

It’s not calories that satiate your hunger, it’s nutrients: fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Unfortunately, simple, refined carbs are lacking in all three and so are many 100-calorie snacks; They’ll just fill your body with fast, cheap calories. So no matter how much you eat, your body will go in search of more food. The result: a sluggish, hungrier you—one who’s more likely to dive into the snack drawer. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Start your day with a high-protein, high-fat food like Greek yogurt, a veggie-filled omelet, or chia pudding, and you’ll reduce your hunger overall. 

You Eat Too Quickly 

Hunger hormones take anywhere between 20 to 30 minutes to get to your brain, according to Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, so if you wolf down your entire meal in under 5 minutes, you’ll most likely eat more than your fill. Scientists believe it’s because your hunger hormones act in a relay, passing off feelings of fullness between each other before telling your brain. This system takes some time to work, which is why it’s best to eat slowly. Yet another reason why fast food makes you fat. 

Eat This! Tip: 

When your entrée arrives, dive in and eat half, then wait at least 10 minutes before coming out for round 2. While you chat and sip water, your stomach will have a chance to digest and decide whether you’ve had enough— no matter what the plate’s saying. 

Your Insta Feed is Loaded With Food Photos 

As it turns out, scrolling through your social feeds is just as bad for your gut as seeking out those trending treats themselves. A review published in the journal Brain and Cognition found that when we see “food porn,” it exacerbates our desire for food through a channel of neural and physical responses called “visual hunger.” In other words, even if we’re not physically in need of food, our bodies will send a signal to our brains that we want to eat. So what exactly is going on here? Scientists found that the concentration of the “hunger hormone” ghrelin increases in response to seeing food images. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Looking at those “food porn” images of oozy yolks dribbling down cheesy burgers is going to make you hungry—even if you weren’t before you started scrolling—which puts you at risk of over-consuming and eating the same high-energy, belly-busting foods. If you’re trying to lose weight, unfollow some accounts that post images of unhealthy dishes, and start following accounts that highlight better-for-you choices: a study in Experimental Brain Research found that our brains don’t become as alert in response to seeing photos of low-energy, healthy foods like veggies. 

You Drink Diet 

Whether it’s diet or regular, soda is one of the sugariest foods you can consume. And while many of us know sugar makes you crave sugar, artificially sweetened products and sugar alternatives (like aspartame, acesulfame K, and sucralose) can actually ramp up your appetite even more than real sugar, causing increased calorie consumption over time. According to a study in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that while drinks sweetened with glucose and fructose (two components of regular table sugar) increased satiety and decreased the hunger hormone ghrelin, drinks sweetened with an artificial sweetener were not able to affect satiety hormone signaling at all. 

Eat This! Tip: 

If you’re drinking soda for energy, check out these best foods for energy instead. Most of these energy-boosting foods are actual, real food and will properly decrease levels of your hunger hormones while giving you lasting fuel to help you tackle the rest your day. 

You Skip Meals 

This might sound like an obvious one, but it’s more than just the fact that you aren’t feeding your body. The habit of skipping meals has been shown to be able to make you feel hungrier when the next meal rolls around, according to researchers at the National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program. When you don’t eat, your body can deplete its blood glucose stores, which promotes an uptick in the hunger hormone ghrelin, ramping up your appetite. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Try not to let more than 4 or 5 hours go by between meals, and keep healthy snacks on hand at all times to help curb hunger before it makes you overindulge. 

You Have a Fast Metabolism 

It could be the result of years of dedicated work in the gym, but for some, you’re just born with it. Either way, your constant hunger could be due to the fact that you just burn calories at a faster pace (even at rest), which means your body will need to continuously replenish its energy stores. According to University of Vermont researchers, about 32 percent of people have metabolisms that are more than eight percent higher or lower than the population average. Because having a faster-than-average metabolism can mean you burn anywhere from 100 to 400 extra calories a day, your body will try to alert you to eat more frequently. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Before you justify extra snacking with having a fast metabolism, make sure you’re not just hungry because of any other reasons we’ve mentioned—thirst, eating the wrong foods, etc. And once you have, having a fast metabolism shouldn’t justify you indulging in unhealthy options. Grab a handful of nuts, yoghurt or snack on some veggies and hummus. 

You Eat Low-Fat 

If you’re an avid Eat This, Not That! reader, you already know that low-fat packaged foods tend to be filled with sugar to compensate for a lack of flavor—but adding sugar cravings to your hunger isn’t the only reason you may want to steer clear. Low-fat treats aren’t as satisfying as their fattier counterparts, according to recent research published in the journal Flavour. As you bite into a full-fat food, your tongue sends your brain a signal that something filling is on the way down to your stomach. However, this message isn’t sent when you opt for low-fat foods, which is why you’re left wanting more—even though you may have just consumed a good deal of calories. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Eating healthy fats won’t make you fat. In fact, just the opposite might be true! A recent review published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that people who eat full-fat dairy are no more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes than people who stick to low-fat dairy. Additional research has linked full-fat eaters to lower rates of obesity compared to those who eschewed fat. When opting for dairy products, make sure to go with the full-fat options. 

You Drink Alcohol Often

Having a drink before a meal in the hopes it’ll curb your appetite may actually be doing the opposite. A study published in the American Journal of Nutrition showed that alcohol is one of the biggest drivers of excess food intake. Another study published in the journal Obesity has suggested that this may be because alcohol heightens our senses. Researchers found that women who’d received the equivalent of about two drinks in the form of an alcohol infusion ate 30% more food than those who’d received a saline solution. Even mild intoxication cranked up brain activity in the women’s hypothalamus regions. This, say the study’s authors, made them more sensitive to the smell of food, prompting them to eat more. Not only that, but alcohol can dehydrate you, which again, may cause feelings of hunger. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Besides curbing your hunger pangs, there are many benefits to giving up alcohol, including losing weight and sleeping better. But if you’re not looking to give up happy hour just yet, be sure to munch on healthy foods if you’re going to eat—not greasy pizza. 

You Eat Out of Cans  

Not only are they affordable, for many, they’re a culinary secret weapon that helps get dinner on the table in just minutes. Yes, that’s right; we’re talking about canned food. But as it turns out, there’s something scary lurking in these jars—bisphenol A, or BPA. BPA is a hormone-mimicking chemical used to prevent foods from coming in contact with the metal cans in which they’re stored, and it’s found in 67 percent of all canned food. The downside: it’s bad for your health—and your hunger pangs. According to a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, those who had higher levels of BPA in their blood also had higher levels of leptin and were at greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome. 

Eat This! Tip: 

So what’s your game plan if you want to minimize cravings? Avoid canned foods whenever possible, and instead, buy products that are sold in glass jars or cardboard containers to reduce your exposure. One of our go-to brands for safe “canned foods” is Pacific Foods. It’s sold in most health food groceries and carries soups, beans, tofu, purees, sauces, and gravies in chemical-free cardboard cartons. 

You Skimp on Salads 

According to the USDA’s 2015 Dietary Guidelines, the average American isn’t eating enough vegetables. This is an issue because most leafy greens are rich in vitamin K, a micronutrient that studies have found regulates insulin levels. Vitamin K was found to increase insulin sensitivity, which makes it easier for your body to take up sugar from your bloodstream. If your body is taking up sugar more efficiently from your bloodstream, it won’t need to take more of it in through food, helping to quash your cravings. Even better, veggies are some of the most fiber-rich foods out there, and fiber is what slows the absorption of the foods we eat from the stomach into the bloodstream. In a Canadian study, researchers discovered that those whose diets were supplemented with insoluble fiber had lower levels of ghrelin. 

Eat This! Tip: 

For the best sources of insoluble fiber and vitamin K, make your salads with spinach, shaved brussels sprouts, kale, and broccoli. 

Your Snacks Are in Plain View 

Out of sight, out of mouth? According to researchers at Google, simply reorganizing your pantry to hide any dietary kryptonite could help quell cravings. A study, conducted at the search engine’s New York office dubbed “Project M&M” found that placing chocolate candies in opaque containers as opposed to glass ones curbed M&M consumption by 3.1 million calories in just seven weeks. Cambridge researchers explain this is because our evolutionary “visual hunger”—the innate human desire to see images of food—has programmed our guts to release ghrelin at the mere sight of food, which can lead to false hunger. 

Eat This! Tip: 

We know snacking is important for keeping your metabolism going, but that doesn’t mean they should constantly be sitting on your desk. Keep snacks out of sight, and only reach for them when your tummy is rumbling. 

You’re Not Eating Enough Protein 

Piling your plate with lean protein can help keep hunger pangs at bay. Protein takes a longer time to digest, which means it stays in your stomach and promotes feelings of fullness. But that’s not all–it’s also been shown to have an appetite-suppressing effect. In a study of 21 men published in the journal Nutrition Research, half were fed a breakfast of bagels while half ate eggs. The egg group were observed to have a lower response to ghrelin, were less hungry three hours later and consumed fewer calories for the next 24 hours! 

Eat This! Tip: 

Besides the obvious sources of protein like meat and fish (which you can’t necessarily eat all day long), load up on vegetarian sources throughout the day by sprinkling chia seeds in smoothies, eat quinoa in your granola bars, and dip carrots in hummus or apples in peanut butter. 

You’re Working Out A Lot 

If you’re breaking a sweat every day in order to boost weight loss, it should come as no surprise that your body is going to need more calories. Pumping iron causes your body to boost its metabolism and burn through energy and glucose stores, which, in turn, triggers the release of ghrelin. 

Eat This! Tip: 

After a workout, be sure to replenish lost glucose stores with a protein shake smoothie! Grab one of our favorite protein powders to provide you with satiating nutrients, and blend it with some almond milk and your favorite fruit to provide you with replenishing carbs. 

You’re Bored 

Feeling hungry really can be caused by something as simple as boredom. When you’re bored you actually lose your ability to make smart food choices; you become an “emotional eater,” according to a new study in the Journal of Health Psychology. And boredom turns you into the worse kind of emotional eater, because you not only make the wrong food choices, you eat much more of those fattening foods than you normally would. In fact, “Because I’m Bored” (as opposed to “I’m Hungry”) is one of the top reasons people give when they’re asked about their emotions before they eat. 

Eat This! Tip: 

You feel bored when you are dissatisfied, restless, and unchallenged, according to a study in Frontiers in Psychology. The best way to beat boredom is to find something to do that is purposeful and challenging.  

You Linger Over Commercials 

Cord-cutters are onto something bigger than just saving money—they’re also protecting their health. Here’s why: Streaming services, like Netflix, offer a way to view television without commercials. And according to two recent studies, that’s good news for your waistline because you won’t be subjected to 30-second spots of a rotating, juicy Big Mac. The two meta-analyses, published in the journals The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Obesity Reviews, uncovered a staggering connection between food advertising and food consumption; Researchers found that exposure to these drool-worthy commercials and billboards act as a “food cue,” which increases cravings and leads to eating behavior (even if your body isn’t physically hungry) and weight gain. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Still using cable? DVR your favorite shows so you can fast forward through commercials to avoid temptation—or try one of these ways to stop thinking about food. 

It May Just Be a Craving 

They sound like they mean the same thing, but hunger and appetite are separate processes. True hunger is the physical need for food when your body senses a dip in blood sugar or the stretch receptors in your stomach sense it’s empty. Appetite, on the other hand, is the conditioned desire to eat rather than the need for sustenance—often described as that “craving” feeling you experience when you see a piece of chocolate cake right after you’ve eaten a more-than-filling dinner. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Deny that dessert menu, step away from the fridge, and pass on those office donuts! Perceived hunger can often stem out of boredom or the mere presence of food. Because exercise has been connected to reduced food cravings, going for a walk or jog can help clear and distract your mind long enough to realize you aren’t actually hungry and can banish your hankering for junk food. 

You Sit All Day 

Sitting all day is just one of the ways your job is making you fat, but did you know it could also be a reason for your constant tummy rumbling? According to research published in the journals Diabetes Care and BMJ Open, when middle-aged overweight and obese adults interrupted long periods of sitting time with short bouts of walking every 30 minutes, they were able to both minimize spikes in blood sugar and lower insulin levels after eating meals. Both mechanisms control how soon you will start to feel hunger pangs after eating. Without getting up to walk, your body may struggle to manage its glucose sensitivity, and it can lead you to feel hungry soon after noshing. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Set a timer to go off every 20 or 30 minutes during the work day to remind you to get up and walk—even if it’s just going to the break room to grab a glass of water. 

You Have a Sweet Tooth 

It’s the dip in your blood sugar levels that triggers the release of hormones to tell your body that you’re hungry. Besides refined carbs, that crash in blood sugar is also the result of eating foods full of added sugars and no fiber or protein to help slow the digestion of these sugars. Besides your morning java, you’d be surprised to learn of the foods where sugar is lurking—like bread, condiments, frozen meals, breakfast cereals, and salad dressings.  

Eat This! Tip: 

The easiest way to cut down on added sugars is leaving the ultra-processed foods on the store shelves and whipping up your own homemade snacks. According to a recent study published in the journal BMJ Open, ultra-processed foods—such as bread, salad dressings, frozen entrees, and condiments—on average contribute a whopping 90 percent of an American’s daily added sugar intake. 

 

Your Gut Health Is Off 

Years of rampant antibiotic use and unhealthy eating centered on saturated fats and sugars can knock your digestive system so out of whack that it could be blunting your weight loss efforts. That’s because these conditions empower the harmful bacteria that live in your gut while weakening the beneficial bugs. As a result, the good guys can’t effectively do their job: part of which is regulating your hunger hormones. According to researchers at New York University, a stomach bacterium called Helicobacter pylori can actually change the levels of the hunger-stimulating hormone, ghrelin, in your body. Researchers found average levels of H. pylori have decreased in our belly biomes with the rise of the fast-food society. And that means less of its inhibiting effect on our appetites—perhaps reason for why many of us are always hungry. 

Eat This! Tip 

To mend your tummy, cut out the bad-bug-feeding sugars from your diet, and load up on both prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics are a source of food for the good guys in your gut to help them build strength, and probiotics act as reinforcements, helping to drive out the bad guys. Good sources of prebiotics are legumes, onions, artichokes, spinach, and oats, and probiotics can be found in fermented foods as well as in Greek yogurt. 

You Drink Your Nutrients 

Smoothies and juices might be all the rage right now, but if you’ve ever swallowed a meal-replacement drink and felt hungry almost immediately after, here’s why: Your body doesn’t register liquid calories the same way as it does with solids. In fact, studies have shown that energy obtained from fluids is less satisfying than calories from solid foods, so we drink more before feeling satisfied, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Experts hypothesize that the physical act of chewing increases physiological satiety responses—one recent study in Food Quality and Preference attributed the satiety signal with the fact that hearing the crunch of food can serve as a way to monitor your consumption—or that whole foods are more slowly digested than liquids, a process known as gastric emptying, which causes your stomach to actually feel fuller for longer. 

Eat This! Tip 

We certainly love our smoothies around here, but if you’ve become victim to always feeling hungry it might be best if you laid off on the blended meals. Or, follow the advice of recent findings: Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a study found that thickening a smoothie made people feel fuller, regardless of how many calories it had. Thicken up your blended beverages by subbing out almond milk for Greek yogurt and water. 

You’re Severely Overweight 

Merely the fact that you’re carrying around extra weight may be enough to induce uncontrollable hunger pangs—even after you’ve just eaten. New research from a multidisciplinary team at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that severely obese women continue to respond to food cues even after they’ve eaten and are no longer physically hungry, unlike their lean counterparts. Using an MRI, researchers discovered that the brains of severely obese women showed they were still excited about the idea of eating even though they had just consumed a meal and reported feeling satiated. The findings, published in the journal Obesity, suggest that some people with severe obesity have an underlying drive to continuously nosh despite not feeling hungry. 

Eat This! Tip: 

It’s not too late to start! Drastically cutting calories will only make hunger pangs worse, as this puts your body in starvation survival mode and revs up production of hunger hormones while slowing metabolism.  

 

You Eat Off Large Plates 

You may have gotten them as a wedding gift, but that set of extra large dinnerware has to go. When you serve yourself on a bigger plate, a typical portion of food may appear smaller and can trick your brain into thinking you aren’t eating enough food. Contrarily, smaller plates make food servings appear significantly larger, which tricks your mind into thinking you’re about to consume more calories than you really are. In fact, a study published in Appetite discovered people were satisfied for longer periods of time after researchers showed participants a large portion of fruit went into their smoothie compared to participants who were shown a small piece of fruit—even though both groups were actually given the same size smoothie to drink. The authors of the study suggest that feeling full or still hungry may be based on the perception of food quantity rather than solely based on caloric intake. 

Eat This! Tip 

Try the trick at home by using smaller plates and glasses that make your portions look more generous, it’s just one of the easy ways to cut over 50 calories. That way you’ll trick your brain into feeling fuller, even though you’ve actually eaten less! 

Certain Meds Give You Munchies 

If you were prescribed a new medication and subsequently noticed an insatiable increase in your appetite, your Rx may be to blame. Antidepressants, steroids, birth control pills, beta-blockers, anti-seizure and migraine meds, and rheumatoid arthritis treatments have all been found to increase appetite in patients. 

Eat This! Tip 

That doesn’t mean you should take yourself off the drug, though. Confirm with your doc that the medication is indeed the culprit, and discuss what other treatments are available. Your doctor might be able to prescribe a different medication that doesn’t carry the same belly-bulging side effects. 

You Rarely Prepare Your Own Food 

It may be a time saver, but eating out or grabbing a processed snack from the grocery store won’t help you curb your hunger pangs as much as you think. Restaurant food—even the desserts—is typically loaded with salt, which research has found can release the feel-good hormone, dopamine, making sodium-laden fare pretty addictive. (Which means you’ll constantly crave it!) As for processed junk? These foods are often made with appetite-revving additives like MSG, which encourage you to continue noshing beyond your fill. 

Eat This! Tip: 

Try cooking a majority of your own meals and snacks at home. You’ll not only be able to control the addictive sodium levels and leave out the appetite-revving additives—both will help to curb your seemingly insatiable hunger pangs—but you’ll also consume nearly 200 fewer calories than those who cook less, according to Johns Hopkins researchers. 

You May Have a Medical Issue 

There are many reasons why you’re constantly hungry, but if none of the reasons above sound like your problem, it might be something you’re unaware of. A few possible medical reasons: 

  • Women who experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) often have food cravings, as do women during early stages of their pregnancy. 
  • If your sudden hunger is also paired with an unquenchable thirst, you may want to talk to your doctor about being tested for diabetes. What may be happening is that you’re developing an insulin resistance, which means your body can’t as effectively funnel the glucose in food to be used as energy, and instead it stays in your bloodstream. As a result, you can experience “insulin resistant hunger” characterized by craving sugars or starches rather than being physically hungry. 
  • Sometimes, excessive hunger is the sign of a parasitic infestation in your intestine, which can occur after eating undercooked meat from infected animals. For example, tapeworms act by noshing on the essential nutrients from your food. (Yikes!) Because your body is missing out on these satiating nutrients, it can cause you to feel hungry and thus overeat. 
  • You may be suffering from a chronic, autoimmune health condition called hyperthyroidism—a condition in which your metabolism-running thyroid gland is running in overdrive. When your metabolism is constantly stimulated, it can result in feeling hungry all the time. 

Eat This! Tip: If you suspect any of the issues above, consult your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment options. 

How to Add More Fiber to Your Diet

Adding more fiber to your diet is actually really simple—yes, seriously! Just be sure to increase your intake slowly and increase your intake of fluids as you ramp up to keep bloating, cramping and gas at bay. (Hate H2O? Tea, seltzer and detox water can all help your body digest the extra fiber.) Read on to discover 10 stupid-simple ways to up your intake of fiber today! 

Go for Whole Grain 

If white bread or rice are staples in your diet, swap them out for sources of fiber-packed whole grains like Ezekiel Bread (2-4 grams/slice), brown rice (4 grams/cooked cup) or quinoa (5 grams/cooked cup). 

Add a Fruit, Veggie or Whole Grain to Each Meal & Snack 

If keeping a log of your daily fiber intake seems totally unrealistic, you can ensure you hit the recommended 32 grams per day by simply adding a serving or two of fruits, vegetables or whole grains to every meal and snack. “Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are all excellent sources of fiber,” says Dietitians. “Aim to eat at least two servings of fruit, two to three servings of vegetables, and one or two servings of whole grains daily to meet your fiber needs.” If you already eat Greek yogurt for breakfast, for example, top it with some blackberries.  

Swap Juices for Smoothies 

Fresh juices may serve up a hefty serving of vitamins, but the juicing process strips the fiber from fruits and vegetables, so you are mainly getting carbohydrates and sugar—not what you want, explains Rumsey. “Smoothies, on the other hand, utilize whole fruits and vegetables, including the skin, seeds, and pulp, which means that you retain all of the fiber. By swapping your daily juice for a smoothie you can add a few more grams of fiber to your day.” 

Keep the Skin On 

You’ve likely heard that fruits and veggies like potatoes, pears and apples are solid sources of fiber—but that’s only the case if you consume their skins, too. To avoid ingesting any pesticide residue lurking on your eats, wash the skins thoroughly before noshing and opt for organic varieties when your budget allows. 

Eat More Beans 

Pulses like beans, lentils and chickpeas are some of the most potent sources of fiber Mother Nature has to offer, serving up between 15 and 12 grams per cup. Add them to salads, soup recipes rice and veggie side dishes to reap their belly-slimming benefits. 

Swap Your Cereal for Oatmeal 

If you can’t imagine kicking off your morning sans bowl and spoon, at least fill your bowl with slow-cooking oatmeal. Don’t have 30+ minutes to spare each morning waiting for them to cook? Whip up a batch of overnight oats. To make a batch, fill a Tupperware container with oats, toppings, and a liquid like milk or water. Then you throw it in the refrigerator overnight. While you’re sleeping, the flavors fuse together so all you have to do is scarf it down next morning—no cooking required! Check out our best overnight oats recipes to get those creative culinary juices flowing! 

Try a Bean-Based Pasta Alternative 

Carb-a-holic? Can’t say no to pasta night? Addicted to spaghetti? Good! So long as you slurp down a bean-based noodle like Banza (8 g fiber/serving) or Explore Cuisine Organic Black Bean Spaghetti (12 g fiber/serving) you’ll be one step closer to hitting your daily fiber goal. To amp up the fiber intake of your meal further, add some sauteed fiber-rich veggies to your pasta bowl. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and peas are all solid picks and pair well with a variety of sauces. 

Swap Chips for Popcorn 

Toss out those greasy, fiber-void bags of chips and replace them with a bag of popcorn, advises Rumsey. “Many people don’t realize that air-popped popcorn is a whole grain, serving up 5 grams of fiber and just 120 calories in a 4 cup serving. A far cry from regular potato chips which pack just over 1 gram of fiber and 160 calories in a 1-ounce serving. Choosing popcorn for a snack will add a serving of whole grains to your day, and 5 times more fiber compared to chips. Just be sure to steer clear of popcorn doused with butter, oil, and salt, as these ingredients can negate the health benefits.”  

Go Nuts 

Nuts—like almonds—are most often touted for their protein and healthy fats, but they’re solid sources of fiber, too. An ounce of almonds packs 3.5 grams per ounce while the same serving size of walnuts carries 2 grams—not too shabby! Keep a bag of mixed nuts in your car and desk drawer so you’re prepared with a non-perishable, filling snack whenever hunger strikes.They also make a tasty yogurt and oatmeal mix-ins. 

Add Flax or Chia Seeds to Smoothies 

Add a tablespoon of flaxseeds or chia seeds (2-5 grams per tablespoon) to your to smoothies, salad dressings, and yogurt. And now that you know how important fiber is to your daily diet, get more great advice from these weight loss mantras from nutritionists! 

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