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Spring 2009
Small and slow wins the race
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Your mother was right - cutting your food into smaller pieces and eating slowly is better for your health! A recent study has shown that when presented with smaller sized portions of food, people ate less than when they were given larger sized pieces to eat. The researchers also found that eating fast meant people ate more.
If you’re interested in maintaining a healthy body weight, these simple strategies could make a significant difference to your efforts!
Importantly, eating slowly and cutting your food into small pieces could reduce your kilojoule intake over the day. In this study of healthy 18-30 year olds, those who ate slowly ate 288 kilojoules less than those who ate quickly, while those who ate smaller mouthfuls ate 184 kilojoules less than those who ate larger mouthfuls. |
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Take-home message: With busy lifestyles and a tendency to eat on the go, it is easy to forget to really stop, taste and savour your foods. Whether you are losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, every kilojoule counts - so enjoying every mouthful may give you the edge you need for more successful weight control. If you feel you eat too quickly or find it difficult to control your portions, ask your FNA dietitian for some helpful tips. Click here to read more about our services at FNA.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 2009
Would you like kilojoules with that?
Seventy seven percent of people in a recent www.foodnut.com.au poll said they thought restaurants should list nutrition information for meals and snacks on their menu. And with this information already mandatory in New York and California, it may not be long until Australia follows suit.
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New York and Californian restaurant chains with over 15-20 stores are already required to feature kilojoule counts on their menus, and Australia may soon follow suit with the Government’s Preventative Health Taskforce considering the need for this information on restaurant and take-away chain menus to combat the obesity issue in Australia.
While all packaged foods and take-away foods from some major fast food chains already carry a nutrition information panel, the foods we buy at most cafés, food courts and restaurants don’t have to – meaning that unless you’re kilojoule savvy or carry a kilojoule counter wherever you go, it can be hard to spot healthier choices on the menu. |
Take-home message: If you eat at a restaurant chain frequently, check their website for nutrition information on their dishes before you go. If this information is unavailable, write to them and suggest they provide it or tell your FNA dietitian and we’ll follow up for you!
If home-cooking is more your style, visit our Nutrition Lounge for additional recipe and meal ideas.
Make an appointment today! |
