When researchers at the University of South Florida asked volunteers about calorie intake, they got some fascinating results.
“We studied the link between how a food feels in your mouth and the amount we eat, the types of food we choose, and how many calories we think we are consuming,” wrote study authors Dipayan Biswas and Courtney Szocs, both from the University of South Florida, and others, HealthDay reported.
The folks in the study who had been asked about calorie count chose the crunchy brownies over the smooth. On the other hand, the majority of the non diet-conscious individuals went for the smooth ones.
“Understanding how the texture of food can influence calorie perceptions, food choice, and consumption amount can help nudge consumers towards making healthier choices,” the researchers concluded.
It is not an accident that Burger King gave its new lower-calorie fries, called Satisfries, a rougher texture compared with the regular higher calorie ones which are smooth.
One commenter said, “In totally non-scientific terms, I can convince myself that I am expending more calories eating crunchy foods vs. soft, smooth foods.”
Chewing burns more calories. Really?
When it comes to crunchy or smooth, it appears that calories, like beauty, are in the eye of the beholder.
The study was published in the August issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.
For the record, I am a crunchy peanut butter guy. Check out my Super High Energy Snack post for more info.
Tony
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