they may even cut your junk food cravings

When it comes to fighting hunger, not all foods are created equal. These healthy picks keep you satisfied for hours. And if you’re trying to drop pounds, they’ll curb the junk food cravings that can sabotage weight-loss goals.

1. BEANS

They’ve got a winning combo of two proven hunger fighters: protein and fiber (about 7 grams of each per half cup). Beans are also a rich source of a type of fiber called “resistant starch”.

HOW TO ADD THEM TO YOUR MENU

Top salads with one-quarter cup beans, dip veggies in store-bought hummus. Substitute beans for some of the ground meat or chicken in burritos and tacos.

2. FISH

It might seem like the lightest pick, but fish is a more filling main course than beef or chicken. Researchers theorize that fish is so satisfying because it takes longer to digest than chicken and beef and it may raise levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, a natural appetite suppressant.

HOW TO ADD IT TO YOUR MENU

To save on calories, choose grilled, poached or broiled fish instead of fried.

3. BRUSSELS SPROUTS

You probably loathed them when you were a kid, but these days Brussels sprouts are a trendy, tasty side dish, thanks to new prep ideas that go beyond “boil until mushy.” One cup of cooked sprouts contains about 4 grams each of hunger-squashing fiber and protein for just 56 calories.

HOW TO ADD THEM TO YOUR MENU

Trade regular salad greens for shredded sprouts tossed with your favorite dressing (thinly slice them yourself or pick up a package or pre-shredded sprouts in the produce section). Or, roast them with some extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.

4. RASPBERRIES

All fruit kills hunger because of its high water content, which activates stretch receptors in your stomach that send an “all full” signal to your brain. Raspberries are also loaded with fiber, which soak up water and swells as they move through your digestive system, making you feel satisfied. This fruit is the reigning fiber champ at a whooping 8 grams per cup. Add them to your morning bowl of oatmeal and you’ll score about a third of your fiber for the day before lunchtime.

HOW TO ADD THEM TO YOUR MENU

Eat fruit whole instead of juicing it, which removes fiber. If fresh berries aren’t available, pick up a bag of frozen ones (just make sure they don’t contain added sugar). If possible, purchase organic raspberries.

5. POPCORN

Popcorn is a surprisingly good source of whole grains, with only 30 calories per air-popped cup. In a study published in the Nutrition Journal people who ate size cups of popcorn reported feeling more satisfied than those who snacked on a cup of potato chips. They also consumed fewer calories when served a meal afterwards. That’s because popcorn is big on volume, which your brain registers as being more filling.

HOW TO ADD IT TO YOUR MENU

Skip oil and butter and sprinkle your popcorn with nutritional yeast instead. At just 20 calories a tablespoon, the nutritional yeast is loaded with B vitamins and adds a great cheesy flavor.

6. AVOCADO

If snacking is your weakness, eating avocado might help you curb the habit. Adding half an avocado to a mid-day meal reduced overweight people’s desire to eat by 40 percent after three hours and by 28 percent after five hours, according to researchers at Loma Linda University. Though that half avocado adds about 110 calories to your lunch, you’ll ultimately save many more if you’re able to resist higher-calorie afternoon snacks.

HOW TO ADD IT TO YOUR MENU

Add avocado slices to your sandwich instead of mayo or toss them into a salad. Love guacamole? Make a quickie version by mashing half an avocado (you can also add chopped tomatoes) with a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of garlic powder. Serve with veggies for dipping.

7. MUSHROOMS

A study published in the journal Appetite showed that people who ate ground white button mushrooms instead of meat at lunch (in dishes such as lasagna and sloppy joe’s) consumed 420 calories less than those who ate the same lunch made with meat-and they reported that their meal was just as tasty. The key: ground mushrooms take up the same volume as the ground meat but are much lower in “energy density” – that’s the amount of calories a food has per weight. Mushrooms have only 21 calories per cup compared to more than 250 for lean ground beef.

HOW TO ADD THEM TO YOUR MENU

Mushrooms can easily pinch-hit for ground beef. Finely chop them and use in recipes for lasagna, chili and burritos.

8. PEAS

They may be small, but they’re mighty when it comes to nixing hunger pangs. That’s because peas are loaded with protein-about 8 grams per serving. (Split peas contain twice as much!) A study conducted at the Nestlé Research Center found that pea protein decreases your appetite even better than protein from eggs.

HOW TO ADD THEM TO YOUR MENU

Eat a green salad sprinkled with peas or sip a small cup of split pea soup a half hour before dinner to help you fill up.

9. WALNUTS

You’ll curb your appetite for lunch if you add walnuts to your breakfast, according to research published in the journal Obesity. People who ate an A.M. meal that included about 1.7 ounces of walnuts (that’s roughly 21 walnut halves) reported being less hungry at lunchtime than those who didn’t have walnuts. Walnuts are so filling, in fact, that even though they’re high in calories, people who add them to their diet don’t end up gaining weight, according to research published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

HOW TO ADD THEM TO YOUR MENU

Because they’re high in calories, measuring or counting out your portions is key. Walnuts make a great snack and you can even blend them into a smoothie- they add a thickness and richness that gives the typical smoothie a lot more staying power.

10. POTATOES

Once every dieter’s sworn enemy, spuds are actually a secret weight-loss weapon. When researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia ranked 38 different foods- from apples to ice cream- based on their satiety, the humble boiled russet potato came out on top. That may be because potatoes are rich in fiber and resistant starch.

HOW TO ADD THEM TO YOUR MENU

The potatoes in the study were peeled, but you’ll get even more filling fiber by leaving the skin intact. Just be warned: all bets are off when you start frying them, or adding butter and sour cream. French fries were rated less than half as filling as regular potatoes.

*Article reprinted From: Ladies Home Journal. June 2014; pages 63-65.