Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Color & Portion Control

portion control may be one of the simpler ways to cut down on calories. by now most people understand the relationship between plate size and portion size-the larger the plate the larger the portion. it is estimated that since the early 1900's plates have grown 23% larger.
     this is a part of what's called the delboeuf illusion. in 1865 delboeuf, a belgian scientist, studied the relationships between plate sizes and portions but also how color-the color of plates with the color of the food served upon them may cause us to subconsciously eat more. and it turns out that this too is true. scientists at cornell have revisited this optical illusion and these are some of the findings:

  • reduce the color contrast between your plate and what it is on-table, tablecloth, etc. and you may cut back your serving size by 10%
  • by changing the contrast between the plate and the food on it we can help our subconscious to cue us into eating more or less. if you want to eat more  healthy greens then serve them on a green plate. but if you want to eat a smaller amount of spaghetti with tomato sauce then serve it on a white plate
    if these small changes can help in the goal of maintaining a healthy weight then why not give them a try. they are famous for their chocolate in belgium. i wonder what color plates it is served on?

No comments:

Post a Comment