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Less Is More When It Comes To Snacking

Posted by Lynda on January 29th, 2013 (Diet, Good Foods, Health, Weight Loss)

A new study shows that less is definitely more when it comes to snacking.

 

A study published this month by the Cornell University in America looked at whether people who were given smaller portions of snack foods would feel hungrier or less satisfied fifteen minutes after eating than those who ate  much larger portions.

The larger portion group was given 100g of chocolate, 200g of apple pie, and 80g of potato chips, all slightly larger than the recommended portion sizes. This totalled a whopping 1370 calories in snack foods.

The other group was given 10g, 40g, and 10g of these same foods respectively, for a total of 195 calories.

The two groups were given as much time to eat as needed, and were asked to fill out surveys to rate the liking, familiarity, and boredom with the food. They were also asked to rate their hunger and craving before the food was presented and fifteen minutes after the taste tests ended.

The results showed that smaller portion sizes are capable of providing similar feelings of satisfaction as larger ones. Those given larger portions consumed 77% more food, amounting to 1003 calories more, but they did not feel any appetite enhancing or stronger feelings of satiety than the group with the smaller portions.

I have said before on this blog, that it is not what you eat but how much of it and how often, and this study reinforces that.  No food is a bad food – but if you eat an additional thousand-plus calories in snacks and desserts and do not exercise to burn them off, then weight gain is inevitable.

So next time you eat a snack food, remember that you can feel just as satisfied with one handful as you would with two.  The hardest part is to save the rest of the snack for another day rather than being tempted with a larger portion or a second helping, just because you know it is there.

Read more about healthy snacking from Sydney dietitian Lynda Hamilton, on the Hamilton Dietetics Blog:

• Healthy Snacking as Part of A Healthy Diet
• 5 Steps to Mindful Eating
• 2 Sin Free Ice Cream Recipes
• How to Diet the Healthy Way

By Lynda Hamilton

Lynda Hamilton is an  Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Accredited Nutritionist BSc, BHSc (N&D) at Hamilton Dietetics based in Sydney.  If you would like to speak to a dietitian in Sydney, get in touch with Lynda.  You will also find fact sheets and diet advice videos on her website.

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