Type of snack influences satiety responses in adult women

The effect of different snack foods on satiety and plasma glucose and hormone responses was assessed. Nineteen fasted adult women (mean age: 39.2 ± 0.7 years, mean BMI: 26.1 ± 0.8 kg/m2) consumed test foods including dried plums, low-fat cookies, white bread and water only on separate days. The test foods (with the exception of water) provided 238 kcal and were similar in total carbohydrate, fat and protein content but differed in fiber and sugar content. Subjects rated their feelings of hunger using satiety index scales prior to snack consumption and again every 15 min for 2 h following initiation of intake. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min following intake. At the end of the 120-min test period, subjects were presented with a meal to be consumed until satisfied. The satiety index AUC was greater for the dried plum trial versus the low-fat cookie trial (p ≤ 0.05). There was no difference in post-snack consumption between the dried plums and cookie trials. The dried plums trial elicited lower plasma glucose and insulin AUC than the low-fat cookie trial (p ≤ 0.05) and tended to promote a greater plasma ghrelin AOC (p = 0.056). These results demonstrate that consuming dried plums as a snack suppresses hunger relative to a low-fat cookie as evidenced by lower glucose and/or satiety-regulating hormone concentrations.