If you were eating a diet high in carbs before, carbs tend to be broken down and digested relatively quickly compared to other nutrients.
It’s not unusual to feel less hungry when replacing carbs with fat or protein.
Another factor that could be effecting your appetite is the complexity of your meals. If you were eating 3 or 4 different items before, and now only eating 1 or 2. Eating less overall foods can make you feel fuller quicker.
This is going to vary from person to person, but generally yes.
Protein, fat and fiber help with satiety
Personally, I find that low carb is not very filling. I still eat high protein and I get my fat/fiber, but adding a small amount of rice, or bread, holds me for a lot longer than if I didn’t have a carb. So while protein is more satiation than carbs generally, I still feel like carbs have their place
Yes! There are actually a couple different mechanisms that cause protein to improve satiety, including:
Fats and proteins take longer to break down in the stomach allowing you to feel full longer.
Fats and proteins slow down release of food from the stomach, which can also slow down the absorption rate of carbs in the small intestine. This results in a more steady release of glucose into the bloodstream. High blood glucose is associated with increased hunger, as is low blood glucose. (This is also why drinking alcohol with food hits differently from alcohol on an empty stomach.)
What you observed about yourself is exactly the reason why consuming snacks containing carbs AND protein (or fats) is the general recommendation for people - particularly those with diabetes.
Anecdotal but for me yes absolutely.
I have a steak or a large amount of chicken breast every morning and other than dinner don’t eat the rest of the day. No snacks etc.
Really helps me with staying under calorie target.
Sure; you’re describing about the sharpest contrast one could generate in that regard, so I wouldn’t be surprised at all if you are noticing such an effect.
Protein recommendations tend to seem reasonable to me.
In the morning we are fasted, (which is why we “breakfast” then). Vaguely: if you go protein heavy, you don’t need to engage insulin to block sugar spikes, especially if very low carb. You’re already levelled off and generating just enough sugar from fat stores.
Very large amounts of protein start to behave a bit like carbs, though.
Anytime I’ve limited my carb intake and increased protein intake I eat way less. It does take a few days to “transition” for me but it happens easily. I’m a breakfast person so I have to eat it but usually a decent size bowl of steel cut oats and toast can be replaced by two sausage patties.
It is specifically because of the protein. Because of my work schedule it would be 7.5 hours between breakfast and lunch for me. The only way I could get through it without getting really painfully hungry was to eat Greek yogurt every morning for breakfast. (With fruit so I didn’t get bunged up). The protein in the yogurt would keep me feeling full until lunch.