We’re all familiar with cravings–but how much is enough to keep us satisfied?
According to researchers from Cornell University, it’s probably a lot less than you think you need.
The research, which now appears in the journal Food Quality and Preference, reveals people who eat small portion sizes of “cheat” foods, such as chocolate, chips, or apple pie, felt just as satisfied as people who had larger portions. In addition, they ate fewer calories, saving 103 calories on average.
Although the savings are small, those numbers could add up quickly, helping people slim down faster, say researchers.
“Smaller portions satisfied hunger and craving similarly to larger portions,” write researchers in the online version of Food Quality and Preference. “Providing larger portions increased calorie intake by 77% (103 calories). This suggests that 15 min after eating a considerably smaller snack, people will have eaten much less but will feel equally satisfied.”
Led by researcher Brian Wansink, researchers recruited 104 adult participants and split them into two groups, examining how different portion sizes affected their appetites. One group received larger portions of common “cheat” foods, such as chocolate, apple pie, and potato chips, equaling 1370 calories. The other group received substantially smaller portions of these foods, however, only bringing up their calorie count by 195 calories.
Researchers then asked them to eat these foods, following up with a questionnaire to determine their familiarity, enjoyment, and boredom with the food, along with questions about their hunger and cravings before and after the meal.
Comparing the results, they found that these foods satisfied their cravings regardless of how much they ate, even when the calorie amounts differed greatly. In addition, eating more calories didn’t improve their satiety, showing that eating more didn’t necessarily make them crave these foods less.
So if you’re trying to satisfy those pesky cravings, remember: Less is more.
“Snack portion size effects on energy intake, craving and hunger were examined,” write researchers. “Results indicate that smaller portions satisfied one’s ratings of hunger and craving similar to larger portions, but led to a mean intake that was significantly lower than in the large portion condition (with a difference of 103 calories).”
What This Means For You
Craving a milk chocolate bar, apple pie, or a bag of potato chips? Before indulging, remember that eating more won’t satisfy your cravings–in fact, reducing the amount of food you crave by more than half could be just as satisfying. As an added bonus, you’ll eat fewer calories too–something sure to keep your physique in check!
Readers: What do you usually crave while on a diet?
Sources:
Smaller Snacking is Smart Snacking: New Study Shows ‘Just a Bite’ Will Satisfy – ScienceDaily.com
Just a Bite: Considerably Smaller Snack Portions Satisfy Delayed Hunger and Craving (Study) – ScienceDirect.com
Smaller Snacking is Smart Snacking; Considerably Smaller Snack Portion Sizes Satisfy Delayed Hunger and Craving (Press Release) – Cornell.edu
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