3 Foods That Will Satisfy Your Cravings Without Derailing Your Diet

If the new year has found you newly dedicated to healthy eating in hopes of shedding those holiday pounds, then you might — like many of us — find yourself struggling with cravings between meals or late at night. But these hankerings don’t have to derail your diet! The next time a snack attack hits, try treating yourself to one of these delicious foods, which can satisfy you without jeopardizing your progress toward your goal weight.

Nuts

“They’re one of the best craving-curbers out there,” says Dr. Steven Gundry, author of The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in “Healthy” Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain (Buy on Amazon, $15.78). Dr. Gundry recommends enjoying a handful of walnuts, macadamia nuts, or pistachios whenever you get hungry, or overcome by cravings for not-so-healthy foods. Compounds in the crunchers trigger the production of hunger-dampening hormones and boost belly-fat burn by 62 percent.

Avocado

With 10.5 grams of belly-filling fiber in each avocado, this fruit is one of Gundry’s favorite hunger cures. Its omega-9 fats also prod liver cells to burn stored fat. So if you’re trying out one of the best weight loss programs for women, keep some avocado on hand to keep you on track! Enjoy it diced on salads, or smash it and dip raw veggies in it. Cravings? What cravings?

Olives

These tiny treasures are rich in oleic acid, a compound that triggers the release of appetite-suppressing hormones, according to research published in the journal Cell Metabolism. In fact, dieters who enjoyed olive oil every day at lunch ate 176 fewer calories at their next meal, compared to those who ate butterfat or grapeseed oil. This makes them a great way to combat stubborn cravings.

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, First for Women.