Role of protein and yogurt in appetite control

Dairy and yogurt protein favour satiety

Dairy and yogurt protein favour satiety and help you eat fewer calories at the next meal

While the overall body of research to date indicates no clear view that one type of protein can help us feel fuller for longer than another (7), there remains a strong interest in the potential benefit of whey protein. Whey and casein protein are the key dairy proteins, and whey protein is more rapidly digested and absorbed (8).

Lorenzen et al (9) found that milk was more satiating than whey or casein alone. This may be because of the unique combination of a ‘slow’ and a ‘fast’ protein found in milk. No significant difference on postprandial energy expenditure was observed. However, a small but significant increased lipid oxidation was observed after casein compared with whey.

Akhavan et al. (10) tested different combinations of water and whey protein in a meal preload to test its impact on people’s energy (calorie) intake at lunchtime. Interestingly, the protein containing preload resulted in a “negative calorie effect” – the size of the calorie reduction at the lunch was greater than the calories in the protein preload.

Keeping to a healthy weight isn’t easy, especially when constantly surrounded by tempting foods. There is no quick-fix. Lifestyle habits that allow us to enjoy a varied diet, regular eating patterns and physical activity are the key to long-term weight management. Recent studies (11) suggest that “sleeping well” is also a key issue in the prevention of excess body weight.

Anything that offers a helping hand is good news. Diets with a low energy density have been shown to help improve satiety (12). Energy density is defined as the number of calories/weight (in grams). Low energy dense foods provide between 0.6 to 1.5 kcal/g. Low energy dense foods tend to have a high water content – soups, stews, fruits, and vegetables, for example. Many lower fat and higher fibre foods also have fewer calories per gram. The British Nutrition Foundation Feed Yourself Fuller Chart (13) clearly depicts low fat yogurt as having an energy density of 0.78 (0.78 kcal/g), which is classed as “low”.

Figure 1: Energy Density of selected food adapted from the Feed Yourself Fuller Chart (13)

References:

7. Gilbert, J.A., N.T. Bendsen, A. Tremblay, et al. Effect of proteins from different sources on body composition. Nutr. Metab. Cardiovasc. Dis. (2011); 21(suppl. 2): B16-31.

8.Veldhorst, M.A., A.G. Nieuwenhuizen, A. Hochstenbach-Waelen, et al. Dose-dependent satiating effect of whey relative to casein or soy. Physiol. Behav. (2009) 96: 675-682.

9. Lorenzen J, Frederikson R, Hoppe C et al. The effect of milk proteins on appetite regulation and diet-induced thermogenesis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012 May; 66 (5):622-7.

10. Akhavan T, Luhovyy BL, Brown PH, et al. Effect of premeal consumption of whey protein and its hydrolysate on food intake and postmeal glycemia and insulin responses in young adults. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2010; 91: 966-75.

11. Chaput JP, Leblanc C, Pérusse Louis et al. Risk Factors for Adult Overweight and Obesity in the Quebec Family Study: Have We Been Barking Up the Wrong Tree? Obesity (2009) Epidemiology Article 1-7.

12. Rolls BJ, Bell EA, and Thorwart ML. Water incorporated into a food but not served with a food decreases energy intake in lean women. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;70:448–55.

13.British Nutrition Foundation Feed Yourslef Fuller Chart 2009 http://nutrition.org.uk/attachments/423_13209%20BNF%20feed%20Poster_PRINT_2.pdf