The Top 15 Natural Appetite Suppresants

Try as you might to resist the temptation of damning diet foods, there are times when insidious hunger prevails and you’re elbow deep in a bag of chips. To combat that, make sure you keep some of these healthy drinks, foods, and spices in your office and home.

These appetite-suppressing staples are all backed by science and exactly what you need to beat away hunger. Best of all, none of them will add a notch in your belt buckle—so long as you munch in moderation.

Don’t feel so bad about your morning (mid-morning, and afternoon) coffee. The caffeine significantly revs up your metabolism and can even boost fat oxidation (when your body uses fat as fuel) when you have a cup after a meal, according to research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Another study from the same journal discovered decaf coffee can seriously curb hunger and increase the satiety hormone PYY. Keep this in mind if you’re looking for an afternoon pick-me-up that won’t leave you jittery. Try, if you can, to avoid added sugar and milk; opt for these healthy add-ins instead.

If you’re not supplementing your diet and training regimen with whey, you’re missing out. Protein, in general, promotes satiety and increases the secretion of hunger-curbing hormones; whey is typically more satisfying than casein in the short term, whereas casein is more satiating in the long term, according to research published in Advances in Nutrition. However, whey protein has been found to increase fat loss while leaving lean muscle unscathed, per research published in Nutrition & Metabolism. 

Ayurveda, the alternative medicine practice, has long since used ginger in teas and supplements as an appetite suppressant—and for good reason. Gingerol, the active compound in fresh ginger root, is so powerful it can be used as a natural supplement to ward off obesity, according to research published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. In the study, done on rodents, a daily gingerol supplement helped reduce body weight and moderate leptin (satiety hormone) levels, helping fight off uncontrollable hunger. 

Want to fight midday munchies? Make a mug of green tea or stir a couple spoonfuls of matcha (ground up green tea leaves) into hot water; the caffeine can help curb your appetite. Plus, you’ll enjoy a mild metabolism boost since green tea has fat-burning properties. People who drank four to five cups of green tea every day, and broke a sweat at least 180 minutes per week, lost more stomach fat and total-body weight after 3 months than those who exercised alone, per research published in the The Journal of Nutrition.

Oatmeal—the kind made from steel cut or rolled oats, not microwaved sugar packets—is an incredibly wholesome source of soluble fiber that naturally keeps you fuller longer. That fiber creates a gel in your stomach, which helps delay digestion. In fact, a study published in the Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism found people who started their day with a bowl of oatmeal felt less hungry, and ate 31 percent fewer calories at lunch than those who ate cold cereal. Note: Chia seeds will have the same effect! 

Scientists from the American Chemical Society proved water is one of the simplest ways to stifle hunger pangs and reduce overeating. Downing two 8-ounce glasses of h20 before breakfast, lunch, and dinner allowed study subjects to eat 75-90 fewer calories during their meals; and, over 3 months, the dieters who drank water before eating lost about 5 pounds more than men and women who didn’t ramp up their water intake. 

One of the most powerful spices you can eat, cinnamon serves as an appetite suppressant by stabilizing blood sugar levels and delaying gastric emptying (when nutrients from your stomach pass into the upper intestine to be absorbed), per research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Toss some on Greek yogurt or add to smoothies.

Hot sauce. Chili peppers. Cayenne. Any of these foods will not only curb your appetite, they’ll also supercharge your body’s ability to burn fat (thank you, capsaicin), according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE. Researchers found hot chili peppers activate a nerve in the stomach that signals to your body that it’s full. You should also know a high-fat diet messes with these stomach-to-brain receptors, and can lead to obesity, so be mindful. It’s also thought super-spicy foods and sauces slow down how quickly you wolf down food (because your mouth is on fire), allowing your brain to register you’ve had enough to eat, preventing overindulgence.

Unsaturated fats, like oleic acid found in avocados, trigger your small intestine to produce a compound called oleoylethanolamide, according to research from the University of California. This compound regulates hunger by communicating with your nerve endings; it triggers a brain circuit that increases feelings of fullness, which can help you maintain a healthy bodyweight.

Munching on apple slices or a full apple at the start of a meal can help reduce how many calories you end up eating (when compared to consuming the same amount in apple juice), according to research published in Appetite. It’s all about the fruit’s fiber and pectin, which keep your blood sugar from spiking and plummeting. That spike and plummet leads to hunger.

Having a hard time standing up to your sweet tooth? Grab some dark chocolate. One study, published in Nutrition & Diabetes, found 100g of the bittersweet stuff promoted satiety in men, lowering their impulse to chow down on junk food. Remember this the next time you’re plowing through a sleeve of cookies. 

A damn-near perfect protein, eggs can help control your appetite and keep body fat in check, according to a University of Missouri study. More specifically, an egg breakfast (with sausage) containing 35g of protein reduces your daily intake of food and stabilizes your glucose levels. 

Peppermint has long been used in essential oils for stress relief, but the scent can also help curb hunger. Research from the Wheeling Jesuit University found when people sniffed peppermint every two hours for five days, they ate 2,800 fewer calories in a week. Another study from the University of Rhode Island found chewing gum can also reduce calorie intake and increase energy expenditure.

Grab a handful of nuts in between meals to keep hunger at bay. Research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found people who added 1.5 ounces of almonds to their diet every day reported being less hungry. What’s more, since nuts are high in calories, participants were mindful and ate less at other times of the day. Walnuts and pine nuts are also loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which can promote satiety. 

Research published in MedGenMed found vinegar can thwart the glycemic response (the rise and drop in blood sugar) from a high-carb meal by 30 percent, which can diminish extreme swings in hunger. Add some to rice (or sushi) and you can decrease the GI of rice by 20 to 35 percent.