Proface

You arrive at home absolutely starving and think the cold lasagna in the fridge could taste great… now! Before you dig in, though, consider this:

Eating the right combo of foods as a warm-up can keep you from having too much at your main meal. In fact, a study in the journal Obesity Research found that people who ate an 80-calorie appetizer that included three key ingredients  a type of fat, a protein and a  fiber  went on to eat 43 percent fewer calories at the next sitting.

“Any time you eat, your body releases a hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK) that tightens the valve between the stomach and intestine, creating a feeling of satiety,” explains Steven Peikin, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Camden, New Jersey.

 Certain nutrients activate your body to produce more of that feel-full hormone, in particular oleic acid (a healthy fat in avocados some nuts and olive oil) and glycomacropeptide ( a protein in cottage cheese and yogurt). Some fibers, such as oligofructose (found in asparagus, legumes, potatoes, tomatoes and wheat), help sustain the effects of CCK in your stomach, meaning you feel satisfied longer.

All of these nutrients are filling, but getting two or three at once works best to put the brakes on overeating.  So step away from the lasagna and check out these low-calorie bites that offer two or more appetite-taming nutrients. They’re guaranteed to hit the hunger spot.

Enjoy one of these 80-calorie snacks before a meal:

Asparagus with Almonds – 6 steamed medium asparagus spears topped with 1 tablespoon toasted almond silvers.

Avocado, hummus and crisps - 1 multigrain Crisp bread topped with 1 tbsp. avocado and 1 tbsp. hummus

Baked fries with rosemary - 1/3 cup ½- inch-thick potato slices tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil and a pinch of finely chopped rosemary, baked at 450 for 30 minutes.

Black bean dip - ¼ cup black beans combined with 1 tbsp. salsa, 1 tbsp. cottage cheese and ½ tbsp. guacamole; savor with 4 celery stalks.

Cucumber-yogurt salad - ¼ cup ½ -inch-thick cucumber slices, tossed with 3 oz. nonfat plain yogurt, 2 tsp. chopped cashews, 1 tsp. lemon juice and 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh dill.

Mediterranean bruschetta - ½ slices whole-wheat toast brushed with ½ tsp. olive oil, topped with 1 tbsp. Greek yogurt and a mixture of 3 tbsp. diced tomatoes with a pinch of chopped garlic and basil.