By Deborah Enos
Last week, I made a “bomb” dinner for my teenagers (their words), but I made sure to tell them it was healthy before they dug in. Although I was sure I had made enough for leftovers the next day, there were none. Then, I began to wonder whether we all had eaten a little more because we knew it was a healthy meal.
After a little research, I found that was likely the case. Three studies by the Cornell Food and Brand Lab found that when snack foods were labeled as low fat, people ate 50% more calories!
Simply seeing the phrase “low-fat,” encouraged people to consume 84 extra calories. This happens because when we see a phrase like “low-fat,” we tend to think of it as a free pass to overeat. The research concluded that people increased their serving size of healthier foods because they felt less guilty about eating more.
This is such a dangerous trap. If you eat an extra 100 calories per day for a month, you’ll gain a pound of body fat – and it only gets worse as we age because our metabolism naturally slows down.
Avoid portion distortion by following these simple tips:
- Use the serving size listed on the package as a guideline. Try not to eat in excess of one serving.
- Always check sugar content. Sugar turns into fat; therefore, a food is not truly fat free if it contains sugar.
- Low calorie foods can be deceiving if their serving sizes are exceptionally small. Always check to ensure one serving is enough to satisfy you.
- Remember that even many natural foods should be consumed in moderation. Nuts are a great example of such a food because they are high in fat.
- As soon as you get home from the grocery store, measure out snack-size servings of foods you can eat on-the-go. This way, you won’t have to think about portion size throughout the day.
- If you still find that you’re overeating low-fat foods, consider buying the full-fat versions instead. You aren’t losing weight if you’re overeating.
Deborah Enos
The One-Minute Wellness Coach
www.deborahenos.com
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