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The 100-Calorie Solution: Smaller Snacks
There is lots of scientific evidence that putting smaller portions in front of us will help us eat less in one sitting, so many nutritionists like the idea that food companies are scaling down portion size. However, what isn’t clear is whether many consumers will be satisfied with the 100-calorie snacks. One concern is that the highly processed starchy and sugary foods will trigger more cravings and prompt customers to reach for a second or even third snack pack.
Nutritionists say there is nothing nutritionally significant about the 100-calorie threshold other than it is an easy-to-remember number. It also doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to burn off 100 calories. A 175-pound person would expend about 100 calories doing 20 minutes of housework. A 65-pund child would burn off 100 calories with a half-hour of outdoor play such as soccer.
The biggest benefit of the 100-calorie foods is they help teach portion control. Studies show that big portions tend to prompt people to overeat without realizing it. In April, the Journal of the American Dietetic Association published research from Pennsylvania State University researchers who tested various portion sizes n 32 adults over two weeks. The researchers gave the participants the same foods, but varied the portion sizes of foods and beverages served. Sometimes a meal would be a standard portion, some meals were 50% larger and some were twice as big.
Nutritionists say 100-calorie packs may be a good way to teach children about what an appropriate portion of chips of cookies really looks like. But one problem is that the 100-calorie bags aren’t filled with particularly healthful foods. As a result, parents should use them sparingly, substituting instead more healthful snacks like a piece of fruit, a handful of raisins or peanut butter and crackers.
Infinite Health Resources does not at any point, for any circumstances suggest that you do not follow or stop medical advice of your physician. We do not advocate any drugs that has not been prescribed by your physician, nor suggest that we are medical doctors nor are we giving medical advice. Infinite Health Resources is here purely as a resource. |
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