The best high-satiety foods

What’s a “good” satiety score? Any food that scores 40 to 59 provides moderate satiety per calorie. We consider foods that score 60 or above to be high-satiety-per-calorie foods that can make you feel full.

While prioritizing high-satiety foods may help you lose weight effectively, it’s also important to enjoy what you eat! Including small amounts of healthy lower-satiety foods — such as berries, avocado, and butter or olive oil for food preparation — at meals can make your weight loss journey more pleasant and sustainable. For detailed information about the science behind our satiety score, see our guide, The science of satiety per calorie.

More high-satiety guides:

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High-satiety foods and beverages

Make these your go-to foods based on your eating preferences, budget, and whether they are convenient and available.

Meat & poultry

Do you love eating steak, chicken, pork, or lamb? Then you’ll be happy to hear that these satiating foods — which are packed with protein and other essential nutrients — are excellent for losing weight.

Although lean meats have higher scores than fattier cuts, nearly all options in this category have impressive satiety scores. So choose the types you love. And, yes, go ahead and leave the skin on your chicken and turkey if you like it that way. 😉

Satiety scores

For a complete list, see the visual guide to high-satiety meat and eggs.

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Seafood

If you’re a seafood fan and want a higher-satiety meal with plenty of protein, go for grilled fish or shellfish. Some studies suggest that eating seafood can help you feel full and potentially lose weight.

Seafood gets excellent satiety scores across the board. As long as you avoid breaded or battered, deep-fried options, you’ll be on your way to a high-scoring meal with fish or shellfish at the center of your plate.

Satiety scores

For a complete list see the visual guide to high-satiety seafood.

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Non-starchy vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables have high protein percentages, very low energy densities, and are rich in fiber. So it should come as no surprise that they have great satiety scores.  Vegetables also add color, texture, and an earthy taste to your meals.

While you’ll need to eat other foods to meet your all-important protein needs, including vegetables in your diet can give you a weight-loss advantage.

Satiety scores

These scores are for raw or steamed vegetables. How do their satiety scores change when they’re cooked with butter or oil?

Vegetable	Satiety score for veggies cooked without fat	Satiety score for 1 cup of veggies cooked with 1 teaspoon of butter	Satiety score for 1 cup of veggies cooked with 2 teaspoons of butter
Spinach	100	74	62
Asparagus	96	65	52
Brussels sprouts	88	57	46
Cauliflower	87	56	44
Broccoli	84	52	40
Green beans	81	48	39

Yes, the scores go down when fat is added. However, veggies cooked with a small amount of butter or oil can still be part of a high-satiety meal when they’re paired with meat, seafood, eggs, or a plant-based protein.

For a complete list, see the visual guide to high-satiety vegetables.

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Eggs

Eggs are an inexpensive, versatile source of protein and fat that can keep you full and satisfied for hours. Egg whites get a higher satiety score than whole eggs because the whites are so high in protein. But whole eggs taste better and provide more nutrients, because the yolks contain more vitamins and other micronutrients.

Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong with eggs — even if they’re fried in a bit of butter!

Satiety scores

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High protein dairy products

Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and low fat cheese have high protein percentages, low carb counts, and a tangy, pleasant taste. Plus, some studies suggest protein-rich dairy can be good for weight loss. Low fat dairy products get the highest scores, but full fat yogurt and cottage cheese are also winning options for higher-satiety eating.

Satiety scores

Type	Satiety score
Plain nonfat Greek yogurt	70
Low fat (2%) cottage cheese	70
Low fat cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, etc.)	85
Plain low fat Greek yogurt	85
Regular (4%) cottage cheese	83
Part-skim mozzarella	74
Plain full fat (5%) Greek yogurt	74
Part-skim ricotta	69

For a complete list, see the visual guide to high-satiety dairy foods.

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Beans, soy, and other plant-based protein foods

Legumes and other fiber-rich plant proteins are great for vegetarians or vegans interested in higher-satiety eating. These foods add variety for meat lovers, too. 

Several studies suggest eating legumes can help you lose weight. If you’re a plant-based eater, include a wide variety of these foods to maximize satiety while meeting your protein needs.

Satiety scores

For a complete list, see the visual guide to high-satiety plant-based foods.

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Beverages

The best beverages contain zero to just a few calories. Why are most of their scores moderate rather than high? Although they don’t add any calories, these liquids provide little to no protein or other nutrients.

The exception is meat-based broth, which provides about 1 to 9 grams of protein per cup, depending on how it’s made.

Satiety scores

Low- to moderate-satiety foods & beverages

The foods in this section provide low to moderate satiety per calorie. Feel free to include them in your diet based on your preferences and the type of diet you follow.

Cheese

Cheese is delicious and filling, but it provides less satiety per calorie than lower fat dairy products. Fortunately, nearly all types of cheese have moderate satiety scores. So feel free to enjoy small amounts of your favorites.

Satiety scores

Type	Satiety score
Whole milk mozarella	59
Swiss	58
Brie/camembert	54
Bleu, Roquefort	52
Cheddar	51
Feta	49

For a complete list of cheeses and other dairy products, see the visual guide to high-satiety dairy foods.

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Low protein processed meats

Bacon, sausage, salami, and similar meats are tasty and convenient. However, their satiety scores are moderate rather than high because they have lower protein percentages and higher energy densities than other meats.

Although you can enjoy them occasionally and still lose weight, go for higher-satiety processed meats like Canadian bacon and ham most of the time.

Satiety scores

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Nuts

Although nuts have some protein and fiber, their satiety scores are low because they pack a lot of calories. Plus, once you start eating them, it may be tough to stop. If you eat nuts, portion out a small amount rather than eating them straight from a large bag or container.

Satiety scores

Starchy vegetables

Starchy vegetables have lower satiety scores than most of their non-starchy counterparts. This is because the higher number of calories from starch reduces their protein percentages. If your diet allows more carbs, feel free to include modest amounts of these vegetables in your diet.

Satiety scores

For a complete list of all the starchy vegetables, see our visual guide to high-satiety vegetables.

Fruits

Fresh fruits have low to moderate satiety scores because they’re short on protein but contain a lot of water and fiber. While fatty fruits like avocado and olives provide less satiety per calorie, they have fewer carbs than sweeter fruits. So, if it fits into your diet plan, enjoy a daily serving or two of fruit.

Satiety scores

Whole grains

Yes, whole grains have more fiber than refined grains. But they’re still low in protein, and most of their calories come from carbs. Therefore, their satiety scores aren’t very impressive. Even if you don’t follow a low carb diet, keep your whole grain intake modest if you’re trying to lose weight.

Satiety scores

Type	Satiety score
Oatmeal	52
Buckwheat groats	48
Wild rice	48
Whole-wheat bread	37
Quinoa	44
Corn	44

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Fats and oils

Butter, oil, and cream are high in calories and provide virtually no protein. As you can see below, their satiety scores are quite low. However, adding small amounts of fat to your vegetables or other foods can make them taste delicious — without jeopardizing your weight loss. For this reason, we list them as foods to include in small quantities rather than avoid. Remember, don’t go overboard. Use just enough fat to add flavor.

Satiety scores for fats alone

Type	Satiety score
Cream	20
Mayonnaise	10
Butter	10
Olive oil	15
Coconut oil	15

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Low carb alcohol

Research suggests that drinking alcoholic beverages may interfere with weight loss. Alcohol can also increase your appetite and decrease your inhibitions, which may lead you to eat more than you need (or eat foods you normally avoid) without intending to.

Because alcohol provides calories but no protein or other nutrients, satiety scores for all types of alcoholic beverages are extremely low. If you decide to drink occasionally, choose lower carb options like dry wine or plain spirits.

Sweeteners

Some people may find that using calorie-free sweeteners helps them avoid high-sugar foods and beverages. However, others may experience hunger or cravings when they use sweeteners.

Although we don’t have satiety scores for sweeteners, we recommend choosing calorie-free or nearly-calorie-free options if you want to use them. See our guide to low carb sweeteners for a complete discussion and our list of recommendations.

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Very-low-satiety foods and beverages

If your goal is to lose weight without feeling hungry, minimize or avoid the items in this section. 

High carb, high fat foods

Foods that are high in both fat and carbs provide very little satiety per calorie. Plus, the delicious taste of ultra-processed foods — such as the sweet or savory snack foods created by food manufacturers — can make it tough to stop at “just one.” Indeed, some researchers suggest that these highly palatable foods can even be addictive and keep you wanting more.

Satiety scores

Type	Satiety score
Cheesecake	3
Ice cream	12
Chocolate cupcake	12
French fries	13
Pie	6
Croissant	6
Frosted layer cake	0
Tortilla chips	3
Candy bar	7
Glazed doughnut	0
Chocolate chip cookie	0

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Foods high in sugar and refined carbs

Refined carbs provide calories but lack protein, other nutrients, and fiber. Many of these products are marketed as “low fat” or “fat free,” making it appear as though they’re good for weight loss. However, as their satiety scores indicate, they’re unlikely to help you feel full and satisfied.

Satiety scores

Type	Satiety score
Soft pretzel	14
Low fat graham cracker	0
Jelly	7
Saltine cracker	3
Sweetened breakfast cereal	33
Honey	3
Low fat breakfast pastry	4
Sugar	2

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“Liquid sugars”

All sugar-sweetened beverages are loaded with little more than sugar and calories. What about 100% unsweetened juice? It’s packed with “natural” sugar. Also, research suggests that consuming carbs in liquid form is less satiating than consuming carbs in solid food.

Satiety scores

Type	Satiety score
Fruit smoothie	50
100% Orange juice	23
Mocha	22
Frappuccino	26
Soda	25
Gatorade	13
Lemonade	7

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High carb alcohol

While all types of liquor provide empty calories, sweet wines and liqueurs are also high in sugar, and beer is high in carbs. For this reason, beer and sweet alcoholic drinks receive even lower satiety scores than low carb alcoholic drinks. In short, they’re not a good option.