Eating Right versus Eating Less

Eating Right versus Eating Less

Did you know that eating water rich, low fat foods does not only facilitate weight loss but maintain the sense of satiety (feeling of fullness or the loss of hunger pangs after a meal) as well? This was what a recent study conducted by a team at Pennsylvania State University proved.

The year long research, led by Dr. Julia A. Ello-Martin, showed that foods with low calorie density efficiently hastened weight loss because they only provide a few calories per bite. Tests conducted on several women showed that compared to those who merely reduced the fat content in their diets, those who added foods high in water content to their diets lost more weight during the first 6 months. Truly a welcome development especially for those who still need a good nudge before they start on a diet.

Examples of water rich, low calorie density foods include fruits, vegetables, lean meat, soups and low fat dairy products. These have high water but low fat content which also causes the patient to feel full after a meal. The higher the water content of a certain food or the higher the fiber content, the lower the food energy density. Also, the more quantity the food has (without the additional fat or calories), the faster you’ll feel satiated. Hence, the body will no longer seek more food, resulting in less food intake.

If you’re trying to lose the unwanted fats, eating the right kind of foods (and not necessarily eating less) may just be what you need to do. Apart from eating low calorie density foods, you can also control your hunger and lose the pounds if you become a more prudent eater.

Consider this: take three chocolate chip cookies, each of which contains 53 calories each. Now take two apples plus 1 and a half banana and you’ll get a total of 160 calories. Compared to the mere 3 pieces of cookies, the fruits can satisfy you more because you get a lot of bites. Also, the fruits are rich in fiber. You must also drink lots of water during the day since fiber and water together will spell satiety. Moreover, water can also adulterate excess calories so there are more chances to lose the pounds. Whole grains can also decrease calorie density so don’t forget to include these in your diet. Examples of whole grain foods are brown rice, oatmeal, whole oats and whole grain corn.

What’s really advantageous about eating right instead of eating less is that more often than not, you are allowed to eat three meals plus a snack every day. Since the diet will rely more on the water and calorie contents of the food, you are allowed to eat large servings as long as you keep the calorie count in check. Furthermore, you will be trained to drink lots of water everyday and everyone knows this has a lot of benefits.

So eat smart. Choose what you eat. Draw up a plan for you to stick to a water rich, low calorie density food diet and surely it will spur many benefits.