A healthy lunch will satisfy your hunger. But it should also keep you feeling full through the late afternoon slump.Here are the three components you must include:
Lean protein: If you build your lunch around a healthy source of protein, you’ll help to keep your diet on track in two different ways. First, protein takes longer to eat and longer for your body to digest. You turn your body into a more effective calorie-burning machine when you eat protein.
Hunger-busting fibre: High-fibre foods are a great source of diet-friendly energy. Fibre helps you to feel full for a longer period of time. If you choose a low-calorie, fibre-rich bread or fill your salad bowl with foods that are high in fibre, you set yourself up to make healthier snack choices later in the day.
Healthy hydration: Skip caffeinated and sugar-filled sodas at lunch. Of course, they are not great for your body at any hour of the day, but they can be especially problematic around noon. Why? Because even though they may provide a quick boost of energy in the short run, they may leave you dehydrated and zapped of energy later in the day. Drink plain or flavoured water instead.
— Source: weightloss.about.com
