Do we really need beef for 'feeling of fullness'?

Do you feel that only beef-based diet can provide the "feeling of fullness" which vegetarian diet can never match? Your assumption may not be true, new research suggests.

The study found that a bean-based meal provided a similar feeling of fullness as compared to a beef-based meal.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota had 28 participants (14 men and 14 women) consume two test lunches containing a "meatloaf" made from either beef or beans.

The beef meal provided 26 grams of protein and three grams of fibre, while the bean meal provided 17 grams of protein and 12 grams of fibre.

Both meals were matched in weight, calories, and total fat. All the participants showed no difference in appetite ratings between the beef and bean meals over three hours.

In addition they consumed the same amount of calories at the next meal eaten.

Protein is considered to be the number one nutrient that induces the feeling of fullness, with fibre coming in a close second.

While protein intake releases appetite suppressing hormones, the beneficial effects of fibre on appetite and food include slowing down the digestion process and helping control blood sugar levels to increase the feeling of fullness for longer.

The findings of this study support the idea that plant-based proteins with high fibre may offer similar appetite regulation as animal protein.

Consumers are increasingly looking to manage and maintain weight with plant-based meal options with ingredients such as protein isolates, whole legumes, whole grains and vegetables, the paper noted.

The study was published in the Journal of Food Science.