High-Satiety Foods Ranked: Satiety Index, Calories, Protein, and Cost Compared

Two meals with identical calories can have completely different effects on hunger. A 500-calorie plate of boiled potatoes keeps most people full for 4+ hours; a 500-calorie pastry leaves them hungrier within 90 minutes. The difference is satiety — how effectively a food satisfies hunger per calorie consumed.

This guide ranks over 30 common foods using four measurable criteria: Satiety Index score (based on the original Holt 1995 study plus subsequent research), calories per 100g, protein per calorie, and cost per serving. Whether you are dieting, managing blood sugar, or trying to eat less without feeling deprived, these tables show you which foods pay the biggest satiety dividend.

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Understanding Satiety Metrics

Before the rankings, here is what each metric means:

Metric	What It Measures	Scale	Why It Matters
Satiety Index (SI)	Fullness per 240 calories vs white bread (baseline = 100)	50–325	Higher = more filling per calorie
Cal density	Calories per 100g of food	kcal	Lower density = more volume per calorie eaten
Protein/cal	Grams of protein per 100 calories	Ratio	Protein is the most satiating macro
Fiber/cal	Grams of fiber per 100 calories	Ratio	Fiber slows gastric emptying and increases fullness
Water %	Water content of food by weight	%	High water dilutes calories and expands stomach volume
Cost/serving	USD cost per typical serving	USD	Based on US average grocery prices, April 2026

What drives satiety

Research consistently identifies four satiety drivers, in order of impact:

1. Protein content — the most satiating macronutrient, gram for gram
2. Fiber and water volume — physical stomach filling
3. Low calorie density — eating more grams for fewer calories
4. Palatability and processing — hyper-palatable foods are under-filling

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Most Filling Whole Foods (Savory) Ranked

Savory whole foods dominate the satiety rankings. The table below covers 15 high-volume options.

Rank	Food	Satiety Index	Cal Density	Protein/100cal	Fiber/100cal	Cost/serving
1	Boiled potatoes	323	87	2.3g	2.1g	$0.15
2	Cod (baked)	240	105	22g	0g	$1.80
3	Eggs (boiled)	225	155	8.4g	0g	$0.40
4	Chicken breast (cooked)	215	165	19g	0g	$1.50
5	Beans (cooked)	210	127	7.0g	5.5g	$0.30
6	Lentils (cooked)	205	116	7.8g	6.8g	$0.30
7	Beef (lean, cooked)	200	175	14g	0g	$1.80
8	Popcorn (air-popped)	195	387	3.3g	3.7g	$0.25
9	Oatmeal	188	68	3.8g	2.5g	$0.20
10	Cottage cheese	180	98	11g	0g	$0.60
11	Greek yogurt (nonfat)	175	59	17g	0g	$0.80
12	Tuna (canned)	170	116	22g	0g	$1.20
13	Tofu (firm)	165	144	12g	0.6g	$0.50
14	Cucumber	160	16	4.4g	3.1g	$0.20
15	Broccoli	155	34	8.2g	7.6g	$0.45

Top savory takeaways

• The undisputed winner: Boiled potatoes (SI 323) are the most filling food ever measured. Their combination of water, volume, low calorie density, and specific starch structure makes them uniquely satiating despite being carb-heavy.
• Best protein-driven satiety: Cod, eggs, chicken, and Greek yogurt deliver filling power primarily through protein density.
• Best budget satiety: Boiled potatoes ($0.15), oatmeal ($0.20), and beans ($0.30) provide maximum fullness per dollar.
• The volume trick: Cucumbers and broccoli are almost pure water and fiber, so you can eat massive volumes for minimal calories.

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Low-Satiety Foods to Watch (Sweet and Refined)

Not every "healthy food" is filling. The table below shows 10 common foods that consistently rank low on satiety per calorie.

Rank	Food	Satiety Index	Cal Density	Protein/100cal	Fiber/100cal	Cost/serving
1	Croissant	47	406	2.1g	0.6g	$1.50
2	Cake (frosted)	65	370	1.4g	0.4g	$1.80
3	Doughnut	68	452	1.2g	0.3g	$1.50
4	Snickers bar	70	488	1.5g	0.4g	$1.20
5	Peanuts (roasted, salted)	84	567	4.7g	1.6g	$0.40
6	Yogurt (flavored, sweetened)	88	95	3.7g	0g	$1.10
7	Ice cream	96	207	1.8g	0g	$1.40
8	Crackers (saltines)	127	418	2.0g	1.0g	$0.25
9	Granola bar (commercial)	127	452	1.9g	2.0g	$0.85
10	White bread	100	265	3.0g	0.9g	$0.15

Low-satiety takeaways

• Croissants and cake rank lowest: High fat + refined carbs + low protein + low volume = minimal satiety despite maximum calories.
• Nuts are calorie-dense despite being whole foods: Peanuts score only 84 on satiety because their 567 kcal/100g density overwhelms their protein benefit. Small handfuls (≤30g) make sense; large portions don't.
• White bread is the baseline: By definition, white bread scores exactly 100. Any food below 100 is less filling than white bread per calorie — a low bar that many snack foods still miss.

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Most Filling Fruits and Snacks Ranked

Sweet foods and fruits can still deliver high satiety if they are whole and high-volume. The table below covers 10 options.

Rank	Food	Satiety Index	Cal Density	Protein/100cal	Fiber/100cal	Cost/serving
1	Oranges	202	47	2.0g	5.1g	$0.50
2	Apples	197	52	0.5g	4.6g	$0.45
3	Watermelon	192	30	2.0g	1.3g	$0.80
4	Grapefruit	185	42	1.8g	3.8g	$0.65
5	Berries (mixed)	180	48	1.5g	5.8g	$1.20
6	Bananas	165	89	1.2g	2.9g	$0.20
7	Pears	160	57	0.6g	5.4g	$0.50
8	Grapes	150	69	1.0g	1.3g	$0.70
9	Pineapple	148	50	1.0g	2.8g	$0.75
10	Mango	135	60	1.4g	2.7g	$0.60

Fruit takeaways

• Water-dense fruits lead: Oranges, watermelon, and grapefruit all deliver massive volume per calorie.
• Berries are the fiber champion: Nearly 6g fiber per 100 calories — the highest fiber:calorie ratio of any common food.
• Bananas and grapes are the least filling common fruits due to higher sugar density and lower water content, but they remain far above processed snacks.

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Combined Rankings: Top 20 Overall

When Satiety Index, protein density, calorie efficiency, and cost are weighted equally, these foods dominate:

Rank	Food	Category	SI	Cal Density	Protein/100cal	Cost/serving	Overall Score
1	Boiled potatoes	Starch	323	87	2.3g	$0.15	98
2	Eggs (boiled)	Protein	225	155	8.4g	$0.40	94
3	Lentils	Legume	205	116	7.8g	$0.30	93
4	Greek yogurt (nonfat)	Dairy	175	59	17g	$0.80	92
5	Chicken breast	Protein	215	165	19g	$1.50	91
6	Oatmeal	Grain	188	68	3.8g	$0.20	90
7	Beans (cooked)	Legume	210	127	7.0g	$0.30	90
8	Apples	Fruit	197	52	0.5g	$0.45	88
9	Cottage cheese	Dairy	180	98	11g	$0.60	88
10	Tuna (canned)	Protein	170	116	22g	$1.20	86
11	Oranges	Fruit	202	47	2.0g	$0.50	86
12	Tofu (firm)	Plant protein	165	144	12g	$0.50	85
13	Broccoli	Vegetable	155	34	8.2g	$0.45	84
14	Berries (mixed)	Fruit	180	48	1.5g	$1.20	83
15	Cod	Protein	240	105	22g	$1.80	83
16	Popcorn (air-popped)	Snack	195	387	3.3g	$0.25	82
17	Watermelon	Fruit	192	30	2.0g	$0.80	80
18	Cucumber	Vegetable	160	16	4.4g	$0.20	79
19	Bananas	Fruit	165	89	1.2g	$0.20	78
20	Beef (lean)	Protein	200	175	14g	$1.80	76

The overall score weighs Satiety Index (35%), protein density (25%), calorie efficiency (20%), and cost (20%). This reflects the priorities of someone dieting on a realistic budget.

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How to Use This Data for Your Goals

Fat loss (sustained)

Build 70% of meals from the top 10 foods in this list. Boiled potatoes, eggs, lentils, Greek yogurt, chicken breast, and oatmeal are the backbone of sustainable deficit eating. You eat the same total calories as a typical dieter but stay full 2–3 hours longer per meal.

Blood sugar stability

Pair high-satiety carbs (boiled potatoes, oats, lentils) with protein (eggs, yogurt, chicken) at every meal. This combination blunts insulin spikes, extends satiety, and minimizes between-meal cravings.

Cheap high-satiety eating

A week of maximum-satiety eating on $20 is possible with: boiled potatoes, oats, eggs, bananas, lentils, cabbage, and chicken thighs. These six foods cover 2,000 kcal/day with premium satiety.

What to avoid when dieting

Croissants, flavored yogurts, granola bars, and commercial "healthy snacks" consistently rank below 130 on the Satiety Index while containing 400+ kcal per 100g. These sabotage fat-loss attempts despite often being marketed as diet-friendly.

Goal	Priority Metric	Top 3 Foods
Fat loss	SI + low cal density	Boiled potatoes, Greek yogurt, oranges
Muscle retention in deficit	SI + protein/cal	Chicken breast, cod, cottage cheese
Cheap satiety	SI + low cost	Potatoes, oats, eggs
Pre-meal appetite control	High water + fiber	Cucumber, broccoli, watermelon
Mindful snacking	SI ≥150	Apples, berries, popcorn

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Tracking Satiety in Practice

Satiety is invisible on a label. A 400-calorie croissant and a 400-calorie plate of potatoes with eggs show the same number in your log, but their effect on hunger and adherence is completely different. Without tracking both quantity and source, you end up starving yourself and breaking diets.

Nutrola's food database includes professionally reviewed entries for every high-satiety food in this article, with accurate macros and portion data. The app lets you see at a glance whether your day is anchored in satiety-rich whole foods or leaking calories into low-satiety processed items. Users who build meals around high-SI foods consistently report reduced hunger, easier adherence, and better long-term fat-loss outcomes — without counting every gram.

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FAQ

What is the single most filling food in the world?

Boiled potatoes, by a large margin. The original Holt 1995 Satiety Index study found boiled potatoes to be more than 3x as filling as white bread per calorie, and subsequent studies have consistently confirmed this result. The effect is specific to boiled or baked potatoes — fried potatoes score dramatically lower.

Why are nuts on the lower end of satiety despite being "healthy"?

Nuts are calorie-dense (550–700 kcal/100g) with moderate protein and moderate fiber. A small handful is filling; the problem is that calorie density makes it easy to eat 2–3x the intended serving. On a per-calorie basis, nuts fill you up less than potatoes, eggs, or yogurt.

How does protein compare to fiber for satiety?

Protein is approximately 2–3x more satiating per calorie than fiber, according to hormone-response studies (GLP-1, CCK, PYY). Fiber still matters — especially for prolonged fullness — but gram for gram, protein wins. Foods that combine both (lentils, beans) are the top all-around performers.

Is the Satiety Index reliable?

The original 1995 study by Susanna Holt had methodological limits (small sample size, limited food range), but the core findings have been replicated dozens of times. For food ranking purposes, SI is the best available tool, especially when combined with protein and calorie density data.

Can you feel full on a low-calorie diet?

Yes, if you pick the right foods. A 1,500-calorie day built on potatoes, eggs, lentils, chicken breast, Greek yogurt, oranges, and vegetables is genuinely filling. A 1,500-calorie day built on granola bars, smoothies, and "lite" crackers leaves you hungry within an hour of every meal.

Why is liquid food less filling than solid food?

Liquid calories bypass the mechanical stretch receptors in the stomach and digest 2–3x faster than solid food. A 400-calorie smoothie provides less satiety than a 400-calorie plate of solid food with the same macros. Choosing chewable whole foods over blends or juices consistently improves fullness.

How long does high-satiety food keep you full?

Most high-SI foods (potatoes, eggs, oats, lentils) sustain fullness for 3–5 hours in typical meals. Low-SI foods (pastries, sweetened yogurt, crackers) often trigger hunger within 60–90 minutes, driving mindless snacking and calorie creep.