Where does yogurt fit in?
Yogurt, and in particular protein-rich yogurt, is an example of a nutritious food that when eaten as a snack has been shown to increase satiety between meals (lower hunger and higher fullness ratings) in a number of studies (25, 26, 27).
Recently, Ortinau et al (28) demonstrated that eating 160 kcal of a high protein yogurt snack reduced hunger to a greater extent than 160kcal of a high fat chocolate snack. The yogurt snack led to approximately 100 fewer kcals to be eaten at dinner when compared to the chocolate, and it also delayed eating by about 30 minutes. This study suggests that an afternoon snack that has a lower energy density and a higher protein content, such as yogurt, could be helpful in improving the control of appetite and calorie intake in healthy women. For more details on this study, see Yogurt Nutrition Digest 2.
How protein-rich yogurt thicks the snack boxes
The body of research suggests there is the potential for high protein snacks such as protein-enriched yogurt, to prevent further snacking and overeating during the subsequent hours. Consumption of low energy-dense foods also helps to reach satiety relatively quickly, further substantiating the role that protein-rich yogurt could play in hunger management.
Dinner intake following the consumption of each snack, adapted from 27
References:
Douglas SM, Ortinau, LC, Hoertel HA, et al. (2013). Low, moderate, or high protein yogurt snacks on appetite control and subsequent eating in healthy women. Appetite; 60, 117-122.
Tsuchiya A, Almiron-Roig E, Lluch A et al. Higher satiety ratings following yogurt consumption relative to fruit drink or dairy fruit drink. J Am Diet Assoc. 2006;106 (4):550-7.
Chapelot D, Payen F. Comparison of the effects of a liquid yogurt and chocolate bars on satiety: a multidimensional approach. Br J Nutr. 2010;103(5):760-7.
Ortinau et al. Effects of high-protein vs. high- fat snacks on appetite control, satiety, and eating initiation in healthy women Nutrition Journal 2014, 13:97. http://www.nutritionj.com/content/13/1/97.
