How often do you hear that small changes make’s big differences? So now the question is “can changing the colour of your plate help you lose weight?” Is this a small change that can make a big difference to your weight loss?
Well according a study carried out by Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, this is exactly the case. We all know that if we eat smaller portions or should I say appropriate size portions, and not oversized portions, we are going to be more in control of our weight.
What the study revealed, is that there is a connection between the colour of your plate and the portion sizes you serve up. You are likely to serve up less if the plate is a far different colour to the food.
Laura Donnelly from Telegraph.co.uk wrote the following…
Losing Weight By Changing The Colour Of Your Plate
Most dieters agonise over what to eat for their dinner.
Now, research has suggested that those who want to lose weight should think instead about the plates on which they serve their meals.
A study has found that people take far more generous helpings when the food they eat is the same colour as the crockery on which it is placed.
Researchers found that when foods “blend in” with their background, people serve themselves 20 per cent more than if they were serving the same meal on a plate of contrasting colour.
In the study, party goers were given either a red or a white dinner plate and led to one of two buffet tables offering pasta; one in tomato sauce, the other in cream sauce.
Those given crockery which “matched” their food – red for tomato sauce, or white for cream sauce – gave themselves helpings between 17 and 22 per cent larger than those with plates of contrasting colour.
Researchers believe the phenomenon occurred because many people unthinkingly fill their plate, whatever size it is. A high contrast between colours may act as a “wake-up call” to examine the actual size of the portion.
Previous studies have already shown that buffet diners take bigger portions when given bigger plates, aided by an optical illusion which means a circle – or portion of food – appears bigger on a small plate than it does on a large one.
Further research has established that the average person eats around 92 per cent of a portion they serve themselves.
The latest study by researchers at Cornell University, in New York state, which was repeated several times on groups of 60 participants, found the actual colour of the food and plates made no difference; what mattered was the contrast between the two.
Research authors said the colour contrast appears to act as a “stop sign” reminding people to think about how much food they were serving. Read the full article here.
So it would seem that, changing the colour of your plate can help you lose weight, or eat smaller portion sizes anyway. It’s fascinating the way our minds work, it’s fascinating how small changes like these can have you making different decisions and leave you feeling comfortable about them. This is one experiment I am going to have to try.
Do you think you would eat smaller portion sizes, if you serve your food on a plate that is a far different colour to your food? Especially food that you really enjoy, say your favourite dish that you generally like to have a generous portion size off, do you think you would eat less of that food, if your plate was a far opposite colour, would you give this a try? Share your views below.
If you thought the results of this study are interesting, why not give the article a like by “Clicking” the Facebook button below, even if you thought the results are interesting, but still questionable.
No comments yet.