When you choose foods that take you longer to eat and are low in calorie density , it will help you consume less calories and you will feel full. 

The good news is that " you don't have to give up foods that taste great " Feeling full after a meal results in a complex signal to stop eating, called " satiety " (fullness). The satiety-attained power of a food refers to the ability of that food to reduce feelings of hunger. 

The satiating power of a variety of common foods fed in 240-calorie portions was measured in human volunteers. This study showed that foods with higher water content , more fiber and fewer calories per ounce were generally associated with feeling more satisfied .

Let me give you an example. A medium sized baked potato reduces hunger more than an ounce of potato chips even though they both contain the same amount of calories.

Choosing foods that fill you up on fewer calories allow you to control your weight without "dieting" or "chronic hunger". In general, foods that take longer to eat (and slow caloric intake) tend to provide more fullness.

Here is another example. If you would eat about 4 oranges (aprox.240 calories) or 2 pounds of cherry tomatoes, which would take you longer to eat than a small bag of M&Ms or 1.5 ounces of peanuts (in addition to their lower calorie density)? 

No doubt, the oranges and tomatoes, but they would supply you with a lot more fiber , which is likely to enhance satiety as well. Natural whole foods like potatoes, oatmeal, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, fruits, vegetables, and beans have a high satiating power . Prepared and refined foods like crackers, bagels, cookies and candy have less .

Why?

Whole foods have a much higher fiber content and they digest more slowly and less completely. The result is, more calories and fiber is reaching the latter part of your small intestine. Research suggests that this results in a powerful fullness signal, which keeps you from getting hungry.

Do I have to give up all tasty foods to lose weight?

No ! Reducing calorie concentration while maintaining palatability (this means the "taste of the food) is not impossible. Not all high calorie dense foods are palatable and not all low calorie dense foods are unpalatable.

For example, fresh ripe strawberries can be very palatable at only 137 calories per pound, whereas vegetable shortening at 4040 calories per pound is quite unpalatable.

Your best bet for foods that are low in calories and high in palatability are low-fat versions of: soups, stews, chili, pasta dishes, rice dishes, stir fry's, baked potatoes, fruits, steamed vegetables and salads with low-fat dressing . 

The creative use of spices and condiments can all be used to make a lower calorie dense diet more palatable without increasing its calorie density.

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