A new study recently explored whether eating smaller bites might influence the amount of food people eat. Subjects were given the same meal twice and instructed to eat as much as they wanted, but one time they were instructed to cut their food into teaspoon-size bites, the other into tablespoon-size bites. Not surprisingly, subjects ate significantly more food when the bites were bigger. But interestingly, they reported feeling as satisfied with less food when they ate smaller bites and in fact were unaware they’d actually eaten less.
On a personal note, I recently had oral surgery and was forced to cut my food into very small bites for the first few days after my procedure. Not only did eating much smaller bite sizes make me feel like I was eating more rather than less food, I was forced to eat more slowly. Taking longer to eat my meals, may also account for my feeling that I was eating more when in truth was not. Furthermore I felt satiated sooner with the smaller bites. I also had to chew more slowly and thoroughly the food I was eating. While I wasn’t trying to lose weight, quite the contrary, I can see where this simple strategy might be an effective tool in weight loss.
A new study recently explored whether eating smaller bites might influence the amount of food people eat. Subjects were given the same meal twice and instructed to eat as much as they wanted, but one time they were instructed to cut their food into teaspoon-size bites, the other into tablespoon-size bites. Not surprisingly, subjects ate significantly more food when the bites were bigger. But interestingly, they reported feeling as satisfied with less food when they ate smaller bites and in fact were unaware they’d actually eaten less.
On a personal note, I recently had oral surgery and was forced to cut my food into very small bites for the first few days after my procedure. Not only did eating much smaller bite sizes make me feel like I was eating more rather than less food, I was forced to eat more slowly. Taking longer to eat my meals, may also account for my feeling that I was eating more when in truth was not. Furthermore I felt satiated sooner with the smaller bites. I also had to chew more slowly and thoroughly the food I was eating. While I wasn’t trying to lose weight, quite the contrary, I can see where this simple strategy might be an effective tool in weight loss.
Be Well,
Carolyn