Bigger Forks = Eat Less

Restaurant Diners Using Small Forks Ate 56% More

The amount we eat at restaurants can be affected by all sorts of factors -- the size and color of the plates, the shape of drinking glasses, the lighting, and even the background music. Now, intriguing new research suggests the size of your fork may influence how much you eat -- and strangely enough, it's bigger forks which might limit calories consumed!

University of Utah conducted a field study in a popular Italian restaurant, in which 98 university students of both genders were provided a pre-weighed plate of food of their choosing off the menu. Some students were given a large fork (which fully loaded held 20% more food by weight), while others were supplied a smaller fork. After they had "finished" eating, the plates were taken away to be weighed once more. The results: big fork diners left 179% more food on their plates! In other words, they ate 44% less weight than their small-fork counterparts.

Fat gets in your brain

Palmitic Acid Hijacks Hunger Hormones; Fuels Food "Addiction"

Many frustrated dieters have shared the experience of virtuously intending to eat just one chip, or one spoon of ice cream -- only to find ourselves unable to stop eating until we've reached the bottom of the container.

We beat ourselves up afterwards, bemoaning our lack of willpower -- but science suggests another culprit may share the blame: Palmitic acid.

Food portions and weight management

How Food Portion Sizes Affect Calorie Intake

The more hungry we are, the more we eat, right? Not necessarily. The amount of food you put on your plate can determine how much you eat and how soon you feel full. If you eat a large serving-size, you may feel no fuller than if you eat a smaller amount of food.

Lisa only modelling the
ice cream portions :)

Food Addiction

Brain Scans Similar for Alcoholics, Compulsive Eaters

As a society, we've come to recognize there's more to substance abuse -- like drug or alcohol addiction -- than a simple lack of self-control. Neurochemical imbalances help drive compulsive behaviors -- and vice versa. But when it comes to confronting obesity, food addiction usually gets left out of the equation. Emerging research, however, is starting to elucidate the role of brain chemistry in compulsive eating.

Bigger Forks = Eat Less

Fat gets in your brain

Food portions and weight management

Food Addiction

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