A protein-rich meal promotes the feeling of fullness, which may be beneficial for maintaining or losing weight.

Chillón, J., Caraig, B., Leidy, H. et al. “The Effects of increased Protein Intake on Fullness: A Meta-Analysis and its Limitations”. J Acad Nutr Diet, 2016, Feb 26. pii: S2212-2672(16)00042-3. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.01.003

The present meta-analysis from five studies concerning the different types of diet appears to confirm that a meal rich in proteins favors the feeling of satiety (fullness), which could be beneficial to those wishing to maintain or lose weight. The proteins activate the release of the satiety hormone, whether from dairy, eggs or soya. A greater satiety can contribute to the improvement of a patient’s quality of life by decreasing the unpleasant sensation of hunger and promoting lower caloric intakes. These effects are relevant when losing weight and/or maintaining lost weight. This effect of satiety induced by proteins has not been systematically addressed to date. The authors selected from the scientific databases only those research works that analyzed the intake of oral protein in the diet and that quantified the sensation of satiety. There were 28 studies that met these criteria, but only 5 of them, those that contributed the area under the satiety curve between 2 and 4 hours after ingestion, were analyzed as part of the meta-analysis.