Dr. James Rouse says some dietary fats may help control hunger.
Hopefully most people realize by now that dietary fat is not the enemy. There are certain fats that are extremely beneficial to the body and certain fats that we should all stay away from. In a nutshell (no pun intended), when we stick to those fats that are found in nature, i.e. whole foods, we're doing our bodies good. Those fats that we manufacture in laboratories or during the frying process are not so good for us. And it should also be said that we are talking about plant-based fats here, not animal fats, which tend to have a much higher concentration of saturated fat. Foods that are naturally rich in unsaturated fats, including olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, have been shown to curb hunger.
Oleic acid, which is the particular type of fatty acid found in the foods listed above, is converted by the body into a lipid hormone called oleoylethanolamide (OEA). Research published in the October 2008 edition of Cell Metabolism demonstrated that consuming dietary fat from sources rich in oleic acid led to greater satiety (sense of being full or having eaten enough) and decreased hunger.
On the contrary, diets that are high in saturated fats may interfere with this metabolic mechanism.
Once again, the most important thing is to maintain a sense of balance in the diet. The right protein and right carbohydrate also have an important role in hunger and satiety. But this new research does shed light on possible solutions for both people who do not enough to those who overeat.
