Rumour has it that to increase your satiety per calorie, you need to go high-carb. But is this really the case? Let’s check the data and reveal the truth.
Carbs and Satiety: A Complex Relationship
The relationship between carbohydrate percentage and satiety per calorie isn’t straightforward. Here’s what the data shows:
- Carb Bliss Point: The lowest satiety score occurs at 48% carbs.
- Lower Carb: Significant satiety bump when carbs are reduced to less than 20%.
- Higher Carb: High-carb, low-fat, low-energy-density foods also align with eating less.
This pattern makes sense from a circannual perspective. Before modern food processing, carbs were much lower in winter and higher in summer. It was only in autumn and spring when the macros crossed over, providing more tasty food to help us gain fat.
Whether you prefer a lower-carb or lower-fat diet, the satiety-per-calorie approach can help. Those who prefer low-carb or need to stabilise their blood glucose have plenty of higher-carb options to boost satiety. If low-fat is your choice, this method still applies. You don’t need to pick sides or seasons—satiety per calorie works for both.
Protein Power: Boosting Satiety Per Calorie
In general, in line with protein leverage, satiety per calorie increases with a higher protein percentage.
But again, the satiety-per-calorie response to protein is not linear. Someone consuming a very low protein % diet (e.g. fruitarian or very high-fat keto) will eat a bit less than someone who’s nailing the protein bliss point with burgers, pizza and ultra-processed foods that are engineered to be addictive.
A higher protein-to-energy ratio is super effective and has helped many people boost their satiety and free themselves from foods that are designed to be addictive. However, there’s a practical limit to how much you can dial up your protein vs. energy ratio.
Rather than increasing your protein percentage even more, the satiety per calorie framework gives you other satiety levers that you can pull to manage your hunger and keep a varied and sustainable diet.
Fat Facts: How Fat Influences Satiety
The chart for fat vs. satiety score shows that a very low-fat diet is hard to overeat.
- But for those on a low-carb diet, there’s a sweet spot around 60% fat that aligns with a slightly higher satiety per calorie.
- But toward the far right, we see that pushing fat super high aligns with a lower satiety per calorie.
A very high-fat diet might be satiating and make you feel satisfied, but only because you’re consuming a lot more energy. The satiety per calorie of a very high-fat keto approach is not great.
Straighten Out Your Satiety
In summary, when viewed from a single macronutrient perspective, satiety per calorie can be counterintuitive. Our satiety response to the nutrients in our food is not linear. Our complex appetite balances energy and nutrient needs.
The satiety per calorie framework empowers us to skip the endless debates on plants vs. animals, carbs vs. fat, and saturated fat vs PUFAs. It shows us which foods to prioritise or reduce for long-term satiety without overeating, straightens out the kinks and gives us a higher vantage point in the diet wars.
The satiety per calorie framework simplifies dietary choices, helping you manage your appetite and achieve long-term satiety without overeating. Whether you lean towards low-carb or low-fat, this versatile approach guides you to better food choices. Start implementing these principles today to enjoy a balanced and satisfying diet.
Ready to take control of your hunger and make smarter food choices? Dive into the world of satiety per calorie and transform your diet today. Join our Optimising Nutrition community to explore more tips, high-satiety foods, and recipes and personalise your nutrition without the named diets or limiting dogmatic nutritional beliefs.