‘Satiation’ and ‘satiety’ are key terms that have come to be widely used to help understand processes involved in appetite control. Satiation is considered to be the signals or processes that bring a meal to an end, whereas satiety is the signals or processes, following the end of a meal, that inhibit eating before hunger returns. Protein is the most effective food macronutrient providing a satiating effect. Thus, formulating foods with increased protein contents can help to modulate food intake, promoting body weight loss and body weight maintenance thereafter. Mechanisms explaining protein-induced satiety are primarily nutrient-specific, but they are of course not mathematically related to satiety. Different proteins cause different nutrient-related responses of anorexigenic hormones. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) release evoked by a high protein meal is stimulated by the carbohydrate content. Also, cholecystokinin (CCK) and peptide YY (PYY) release is stimulated by a high-protein meal. Sensory, cognitive, post-ingestive and post-absorptive signals will determine jointly the feeling of satiation and satiety. Oral perception cues also contribute increased expectations of satiating capacity when the oral residence time and in-mouth handling are longer and more laborious. In the present review, the authors want to obtain an overview of the satiating ability of dietary protein and its role in satiation and satiety. This could be really significant in showing the food industry the path for developing protein-rich satiating foods in response to consumer demand.

The authors are grateful to the Spanish Ministry of the Economy and Competitiveness for financial support (AGL2012-36753-C01) and gratefully acknowledge the financial support of EU FEDER funds. They would also like to thank Mary Georgina Hardinge for assistance in correcting the English manuscript.