Download Session 42: Using Soups and Grains to Feel Full and Satisfied

Session 42: Using Soups and Grains to Feel Full
and Satisfied
In previous sessions you heard about how foods that make you feel full but are low
in caloric density can help you maintain your weight loss. How can you choose
foods that are low in caloric density? Remember the foods that will help you feel
fuller without adding loads of extra calories are ones that have a high water
content, a low fat content, a high fiber content, a high air content – so some
combination of all four!
You have already reviewed decreasing fat and adding vegetables and fruit as ways
to lower the caloric density of your eating. Today we are going to talk more about
using water-rich meals to help you feel full.
High-Water Foods
Studies have shown that people who eat foods with higher water content eat less
food (and less calories!) but feel just as satisfied. In one study, some people were
given a bowl of soup that had 150 calories and other people were given a bowl of
stew with the same number of calories, but with much less water in it. The two
groups of people ate these foods at the very beginning of their meal. Those who
started with soup ended up eating less of the rest of the meal than those who ate the
stew! The difference was the water in the soup – it increases the volume of the
soup, which made people feel fuller sooner. The soup group ate fewer calories in
the total meal but felt just as full. As you can see, eating foods high in water, like
soup, can be a great way of eating fewer calories without feeling hungry
afterwards.
The big advantage of high-water foods is that they have a lot of volume without
being high in calories – because water has no calories. Of course, some soups can
have more calories than others. It is therefore important to choose your soups
wisely.
Look AHEAD Participant Manual, Session 42
Using Soups and Grains to Feel Full, Page 1
Cream-based soups vs. Broth-based, chunky soups
 Cream-based soups (like cream of tomato, New England Clam Chowder, or
bisques) contain water but they also have fat and calories.
 For that extra feeling of fullness without the extra calories, choose a brothbased, chunky soup with a little bit of protein-rich food in it.
For example, a soup that starts with broth or stock and has vegetables with some
chicken, beef, beans, barley, or tofu in it would be a good choice.
If you don’t normally eat much soup, try experimenting with some different types
of soups. Although homemade soups are usually the best (assuming you are a
good cook!), many commercial soups are low in fat and low in caloric density
(especially if they are based on broth instead of milk or cream). There are many
different varieties available. If you buy pre-made soups, you might try different
brands. They all have their own unique flavor, so it is a matter of finding one that
you like the taste of. If you don’t like pre-made soups, try making some of your
own. They make a great lunch. You can freeze them in individual containers and
take them frozen to work, ready to heat and eat for lunch or a snack.
It is important to know that you cannot get the same effect as eating soups by
drinking more water with your meals or between meals. Water is emptied
rapidly from your intestinal tract or stomach. Therefore, adding water to your meal
does not appear to have a lasting effect on hunger. However, it can be a healthy
addition to your diet for other reasons.
Try Soup as a Starter
 Add a cup or bowl of soup to the start of your meals several times over the
next two weeks.
 Choose low calorie, high volume soups (aim for 100kcals/cup or less) to
start your meals.
 Rate whether you experience greater feelings of fullness or are more
satisfied with less food.
Look AHEAD Participant Manual, Session 42
Using Soups and Grains to Feel Full, Page 2
Other Low Caloric Density Meal “Starters”
Soup is not the only food that can help you feel full -- any low calorie density food,
like salads, fruit, vegetables and vegetable juices, will help you feel full and help
you eat less during the meal! Try starting your meal with a large salad (remember
to watch out for the dressing!). You can also try a vegetable juice such as V8 or
tomato juice – both of these are low in calories but high in volume. Having some
baby carrots or some fruit before your meal will also help to make you feel full on
fewer calories.
Finally, remember that low caloric density foods are important to include both at
the start of a meal (for example, soup or a hand full of cut-up veggies) and in the
meal itself (for example, vegetables in your meal).
During this upcoming two weeks, try the following:
 Start at least 5 or 6 of your meals with a soup, a salad (with a low calorie
dressing), some fruit or vegetables, or a vegetable juice.
 Record in your Keeping Track when you had one of these water-rich, low
caloric density foods to start your meal and rate how satisfied you felt at the
end of the meal.
Look AHEAD Participant Manual, Session 42
Using Soups and Grains to Feel Full, Page 3
Grains and Legumes Are Good Low Calorie Density Choices
Grains and legumes fall into the low caloric density category. Eating more grains
and legumes will also help lower the caloric density of your overall diet.
Not only do grains and legumes have a low caloric density, they have other
advantages as well.
What can grains and legumes add to your diet?
Grains and Legumes are a good source of:
o
o
o
o
Fiber and other complex carbohydrates
Protein
Vitamins like Folate, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A, Vitamin E.
Minerals like Iron and Zinc
AND, if they are prepared sensibly, they are also low in fat!
For all of these reasons, adding more grains and legumes to your diet can help to
improve your health. This is why the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
recommends eating more grain products and eating dry beans, lentils and peas
more often.
What are Grains and Legumes?
Listed below are some examples of grains and legumes:
Grains & products made from grains:
Legumes & products made from legumes:
barley, couscous, oats, cornmeal
brown rice, buckwheat_______
kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans
northern beans, navy beans ______
Look AHEAD Participant Manual, Session 42
Using Soups and Grains to Feel Full, Page 4
Although adding grains and legumes to your diet can be a very healthy step, you
must be careful to make sure that the dishes are not high in caloric density because
of the way they are prepared. Grains and legumes that have added fat, like oil,
sour cream, cheese or lard, will be high in caloric density. Choose dishes that
include grains or legumes but are low in fat and calories.
How can you Add More Grains and Legumes to your Diet?
There are many tasty ways, including:
 Dips
Legumes make great dips! These can be great for dipping vegetables into as a low
caloric density snack or they make a tasty addition to a sandwich.
 Hummus: Blend canned chickpeas with garlic, salt, pepper, plenty of lemon
juice and a small amount of oil. Experiment with adding unsweetened lowfat yogurt, cumin, sesame seeds, mint, scallions, or roasted red peppers.
Prepared brands are also available. Check the Nutrition Facts Panel to find
what has the lowest caloric density.
 Kidney Bean Dip: Combine cooked kidney beans (you can use canned) with
cooked onion, garlic, chili powder, a can of chopped tomato, a diced green
pepper and back pepper to taste.
 Any type of bean: Most beans make great dips! Simply blend canned beans
with cooked onions, lemon and any combination of spices that you like.
Experiment with different beans and different herbs until you find a
combination that you like -- try chili powder, curry powder, basil, thyme, or
marjoram to start with. Use plenty of lemon juice rather than salt to improve
the flavor.
 Soups
You can add plenty of grains and legumes to soups without changing the taste of
your soup! Try adding barley, split peas, lentils, kidney beans, or black beans to
any soup that you make…or even add some to prepared soups.
Look AHEAD Participant Manual, Session 42
Using Soups and Grains to Feel Full, Page 5
 Salads
Many grains make tasty salads. Try couscous. Couscous is a wheat product that
you can buy in most supermarkets (in a box, usually near the rice and beans). It is
quick, easy to prepare and can be eaten hot or cold. To make a salad, simply add
your favorite vegetables. For example, toss together some tomatoes, onions, fresh
spinach, a little feta cheese and a small bit of olives and you have a great
Mediterranean salad! Add grilled chicken or tuna to couscous plus any kind of
vegetable chopped up bit size and you’ve made a salad for a great summer lunch.
Beans can also make a good salad. You can add lemon juice, some okra, green
peppers, onions, and carrots to a mixture of different kinds of cooked beans to
make a salad low in caloric density and high in satisfaction.
 Mixed Dishes
You can add any grain or legumes to your mixed meat dishes, including stews,
casseroles, and chili. They all taste great when beans are added to them. Try
adding oatmeal to your meat loaf. When you make tomato sauces for pasta, add
some lentils. Sprinkle red beans on top of your pizza! All these things will
increase your grain and legume intake and decrease the caloric density of your
meals. Try it. You might like it!
Look AHEAD Participant Manual, Session 42
Using Soups and Grains to Feel Full, Page 6
Prepared Legume and Grain Products: The products below vary in
price, preparation time and flavor. Try to find these products (or others like
them) in your supermarket and try them out. Using the table below, rate
your opinion about the project and what you think would help make it taste
even better.
Product
I Liked It – Yes or No
What would add or change?
Konriko Brand
Jambalaya
Zatarain’s New
Orleans’s style
Black Beans and
Rice
Vigo Black
Beans and Rice
Near East Wheat
Pilaf
Near East
Couscous
When trying new products, it is usually best to follow the instructions the first time.
Different brands produce final products that taste quite different so don’t be put off
if you don’t like one brand – keep trying.
Look AHEAD Participant Manual, Session 42
Using Soups and Grains to Feel Full, Page 7
To do next week:
Keep Track
 Keep track of your weight, calories, the number of minutes you are
active, and the number of steps you take.
 Stay under your calorie and fat gram goals by using the meal
replacements and meal plan.
Be Active
 Walk (or do something like walking) for at least 175 minutes per week.
 If you’ve already achieved 175 minutes/week, try increasing your
activity level by adding another 25 minutes to last week’s total number
of minutes.
 Warm up, cool down, and do stretches when you’re active.
 Add 250 steps per day to your average steps per day until you reach
10,000/day.
Goal for next week =
Average steps/day last week _____+ 250 = _____ steps/day.
Reduced Calorie Density Eating
 Start at least 5 or 6 of your meals with a soup, a salad (with a low calorie
dressing), some fruit or vegetables, or a vegetable juice.
 Circle the foods you include as reduced caloric density “starters”.
 Rate how satisfied you are at the end of each meal. Compare your feelings
of satisfaction at meals when you included a starter and those meals when
you did not.
 Try 3 or 4 new grain or legume products that you can purchase in the
supermarket. Some products that are quick to prepare (less than 30 minutes)
are listed on the next page. Try them or others that sound tasty to you.
Record your opinions about how they taste. Remember, you may have to try
several to find one that you and your family like.
Look AHEAD Participant Manual, Session 42
Using Soups and Grains to Feel Full, Page 8