Too Many Choices, Too Many Pounds

I thought that this information gave a good perspective on eating.  Portion sizes are something I think people need to learn about.  I also think that the over abundance of choices is a double edged sword.  Too many of all these items at your grocer are made with low level ingredients.  You aren't getting the best nutrition from them.  Your loss of nutrients is also a factor in the weight game.

From SuperMarket Guru -

The average supermarket has over 50,000 products, the choice can be overwhelming and researchers are finding that the abundance of food choices (not only in supermarkets but all around us) promotes excess consumption. Could the variety of choices we have access to actually be fueling the obesity crisis? In an upcoming issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition researchers from the University of Florida suggest that diversity in menus could be promoting excess consumption and increased body mass index.

The article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is in response to a study from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where researchers found that both obese and non-obese women who were given macaroni and cheese daily, for five days reduced their intake, compared to those who were given macaroni and cheese once a week for five weeks. The authors of this study concluded that people loose interest in their food when repeatedly exposed to the same item; a behavior known as habituation.

To a similar tune, another study found that changing the number of colors in a bowl of M&Ms from seven to ten different colors, increased consumption by over 40 percent!

Researchers also say that the findings are particularly significant for people who may suffer from food addiction. Meal monotony, with proper nutrition, could be used as a weight-loss strategy, dimming the appetite and therefore reduce calorie consumption.

But let’s face it; a life without variety could be very boring. SupermarketGuru encourages you to listen to your body and be aware that we are always surrounded by food cues, so take a step back and ask yourself if you are really hungry and how much you are hungry for.