Carbohydrates; how feel full? Find out what scientists and scientific experiments say about how carbohydrates fuel our bodies. Everyone understands that overstating must be avoided. It should note that this is a more complicated phenomenon than it seems at first glance. Many variables significantly affect each stage of the maturation process. The most obvious variable, in this case, is saturation.
It is the feeling of fullness that one experiences after eating food. During a meal, the digestive system sends information to the brain about the quality and quantity of food eaten. After processing the received data, the brain forms a feeling of satiety during the entire process of food consumption. However, keep in mind that other factors affect satiety.
It includes the combination of nutrients and the pleasure derived from the meal. Nutrition is individual and depends on food’s taste, smell, and even texture. Scientists have shown that protein compounds can cause maximum satiety. In this respect, they are superior to other nutrients.
Fats and carbohydrates have approximately equal saturation. Foods that contain fat in calories are less satisfying but can provide better taste and are more energy-efficient. Many people wonder if taking carbohydrates makes you feel full, and today we will try to answer that.
Scientists still do not fully understand the behavioral and metabolic processes that lead to overeating. Researchers have hypothesized the effect of the hedonic value of a product on appetite. One study should remind you why you take total carb.
A group of scientists decided to test the theory we stated above and evaluate the hedonic value of food cravings and wishes. Currently, there are significantly more questions in this area than answers. The available research results on the effect of food composition on concepts of honor are very controversial. In the scientific world, there are sometimes fierce debates about the impact of fat and carbohydrates on overeating.
There have been few studies on this topic, and it isn’t easy to give a precise answer to the question so far. Now we will tell you about the results obtained in the study on the effect of different carbohydrate and fat content of foods on the feeling of satiety, the appeal of nutrition, and the number of calories consumed. The experiment involved obese people, as well as those with overweight problems.
Can Carbohydrates Make You Feel Full: Research Findings
The study was crossover and randomized, and the number of participants was 65 women and men. Remember that all individuals struggle with being overweight or obese. The study participants did not play sports and did not have bad habits.
The subjects were given two separate days of oral exams. They first ate foods high in fat (HF) and then high in carbohydrates (HF). Test days are separated by at least two days.
Nutritional content on test days was as follows:
- ² – 56 / 13.9 / 30.1 (fat / protein compounds / carbohydrates).
- VU – 23 / 13.5 / 63.5 (fat / protein mixtures / carbohydrates).
It is also important to note that the sources of protein compounds were the same on all test days. It eliminated a potential saturation variable that could interfere with the study’s results. All food consumed by the participants in the study was in full compliance with sensory and taste quality. Let’s say both groups drank milk, but in one, the product had an average fat content, and in the second, it was low.
Throughout the test day, the subjects were in the laboratory. Breakfast and dinner were not restricted in terms of energy value, and the caloric content of lunch for each issue was 800 calories. The break between meals was four hours. After dinner, the study participants went home. Each received a lunch box—determined Change in body weight by weighing before and after a meal.
The researchers used a visual scale and an electronic rating system to measure appetite. A factor of saturation (FS) was also determined, which allowed the ability of a given product to saturate to be determined. The subjects were also asked to select the products with maximum universal appeal.
Even in scientific literature, the terms saturation and saturation are often used interchangeably. However, there are still differences between them. Satiety should be the totality of all biochemical processes in the body until the end of the meal. They are activated at the beginning of a meal and reach their peak when you no longer want to eat.
The level of satiety depends on the amount of food eaten and the time spent on the meal. Satiety, on the other hand, is the process that prevents one from eating until the next meal begins. This feeling is primarily influenced by the indication of the energy value of products, the number of protein compounds, and plant fibers.
We will not describe the composition of the subjects’ diets but proceed immediately to the results obtained. We only note the fact that, on average, the indicator of the energy value of a day with high life was 900 more in comparison with HE. The researchers found no significant differences between the test days regarding hunger and fullness before breakfast and lunch.
Breakfast may provide a stronger
After assessing satiety at breakfast, I found VU to be FS compared to VZ. Also, in the subjects, the feeling of satiety lasted two hours longer after breakfast on the day of WU. It suggests that eating large amounts of carbohydrates at breakfast may provide stronger satiety than fat.
However, almost all participants in the study showed a strong liking for high-fat foods. The VU group had a hidden desire to eat fatty foods. And now let’s try, based on the results of this study, to answer the question, why does the intake of carbohydrates give fullness?
It can be argued that during the transition from HF to VU, a decrease in the caloric content of the diet is observed as well as an increased feeling of satiety. At the same time, there are no restrictions on food products. It is difficult to say what caused this. Researchers have hypothesized that satiety affects the difference in energy density of each meal program due to more significant distension of the stomach.
Although scientists have tried to bring the organic properties of products and their taste into complete harmony, parts of high-fat liquids have always had a higher energy value. High-calorie foods look more appealing to most people, although they are less satisfying. It happens during a meal, no doubt about it. It is what can be called the ability to satiate.
As we have already pointed out, the indicator of the energy value of the days with VL turned out to be 900 calories higher than the VU nutrition. This fact gives reason to say that the calorie density of foods is essential to explain the reasons for overeating. Unfortunately, the study authors did not indicate the amount of plant fiber in each diet. We can only assume that the authors considered this factor, and no severe differences were observed.
When assessing attractiveness, the authors of the experiment concluded that high liking for high-fat foods decreases significantly after switching to a low-fat diet. A similar situation was observed with a latent desire to consume fatty foods. Note that did not include only unprocessed carbohydrates in the nutrition plans. The subjects consumed jelly candy, cereal, chips, white bread, and crackers. Therefore, we cannot claim that we achieved satiety on the day of WU due to the consumption of low glycemic index foods. The situation is similar to protein compounds.
As the number of carbohydrates in the diet increased, the fat content decreased simultaneously. This fact may explain the lower calorie intake on WU days. In addition to everything that has been said, we must make a few caveats. To begin with, the study was short-term, and all subjects were evaluated only once per nutritional program.
Results may vary in the long run. Also, all participants in the experiment had difficulties with being overweight or even obese. Thus, we do not have the right to conclude the effectiveness of a particular diet. The same fact does not allow extrapolating the experiment’s results to people with a standard physical constitution. When evaluating the possibility of controlling nutrients, it is necessary to consider the characteristics of each individual’s organism, the structure of his body, etc. For example, this study did not consider the menstrual cycle, which increases the variability.
If you get the big picture and answer why you consume carbs, you need to account for our conversation. The study organizers could accurately reproduce an accurate nutritional model with a mixed combination of nutrients. Although the survey was short-lived, it can say that even with a lower calorie intake per day, this number did not drop below 2500 calories.
It’s probably not enough for weight loss to lower energy levels. Don’t forget that every nutrition plan contains quite a large number of refined foods. Eating only whole foods will likely give you better results. When evaluating the food intake of people who had used one of the diets for a long time, the subjects felt almost no hunger when they used the HF nutrition plan.
Conclusion
At the same time, the difference in VU was insignificant. While it is impossible to draw any definitive conclusions from the results of this study, we were certainly given some food for thought. However, it is essential to remember that each person’s body is unique, and there are no universal nutrition programs.