With easy access to food and ever-increasing portion sizes, one might suspect that we’ve acquired the skills needed to determine when we’re full. These five studies prove otherwise.
We use visual cues to count calories and rely less on hunger signals. Cornell University researchers secretly served soup of out a self-refilling bowl; test subjects ate an average of 73% more soup than the control group. Remarkably, they did not believe they had eaten more soup, nor did they feel more full than those that had eaten from normal bowls. [source]
The proximity and visibility of a food may increase the amount consumed. Secretaries ate an average of 2.2 more chocolates each day when the candy was placed in a clear (versus an opaque) covered bowl. The same secretaries consumed 1.8 more candies each day when were placed on their desk instead of six feet away. [source]
Both the weight and volume of a food determine how much we eat. Two types of cheese puffs, differing only in calories by volume (one variety of cheese puff was poofier than the other) were offered to test subjects. Participants consumed 21% less calories when eating the poofier puff, in spite of having ingested a 73% greater volume of the snack. Incorporating air into food may be a good strategy for reducing caloric intake. [source]
We believe that the serving size offered to us is the optimal amount. Researchers varied the serving size of various free snacks and then measured the total quantity (in grams) consumed. People ate more large Tootsie Rolls and full sized pretzels (by weight) than their bite-sized brethren. Additionally, they consumed substantially more M&M’s when the candy was served with a larger spoon. [source]
We are either unaware of how our environment influences our eating decisions or we are unwilling to acknowledge it. Test subjects dispensed and ate 31% more food after having been given an exaggerated environmental cue, in this case a large serving bowl. Of those studied, 21% denied having eaten more, 75% attributed it to other reasons (such as hunger), and only 4% attributed it to the cue. [source]
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This post is a summary-in-brief of the book Mindless Eating (http://www.amazon.com/Mindless-Eating-More-Than-Think/dp/0553804340) by Dr. Brian Wansink. It’s a fascinating, useful and entertaining book that I highly recommend.
Reminds me of the “Volumetrics” meal plan.
“Incorporating air into food may be a good strategy for reducing caloric intake.”
A RESOUNDING: YES.
Entrapping air into products creates a “fluffy” consistency. For example, in the case of an Angel cake, egg white is whipped moderately so that air cells are stable enough to hold up the cake structure.
Conversely, a brownie has a thicker and pastier texture. This is because a brownie’s recipe does not allow for the air cells to “hold up” the product. As a result, the brownie “collapses” and ultimately, does not rise as much as we would see in an angel cake.
Per serving size of each treat, calorie for calorie, the dense, thick brownie will provide more energy than the air-filled cake. I guess that’s the real reason why it’s called an Angel
Along those same lines, incorporating water into food is a good strategy for reducing caloric intake, as well. Dehydrated fruits lose about 50% of their water content when they are dried. The effect of dehydration is that of a hypertonic solution: the concentration of water inside of the fruit moves out, resulting in a very calorically dense little snack.
On the contrary, hydration of dehydrated fruits is one of a hypotonic solution: the concentration of water outside of the fruit goes in, making it expand and swell up. This is the premise for reducing calories overall. And this is why fruits and veggies, which have a higher water content, are more filling—while still being low in cals.
We don’t know when enough is enough only when our stomachs aren’t semi-expanded: water-filled products produce a false-sense of satiation, which ironically enables us to end the feeding process and “feel full.”
where were you served that hamburger? I must conquer one.
nag, nag, nag…..
Andy, that’s my brother Greg next to Sonya Thomas. Sonya, an 108lb woman, ate that ten-pound burger.
Thanks for the thoughts, Marissa.
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