Eating a salad just before a meal will help to reduce the appetite and cut down on high calorie intake during the rest of the meal, research reveals.
However, people who try the "salad stuffer" method to reduce weight must exercise caution in how they consume the salad and how they eat the rest of the meal.In a study, researchers from Pennsylvania State University, gave women who were their subjects, large, three-cup servings of salad with lost of vegetables and small amounts of reduced fat dressing. The women were served the rest of the meal after 20 minutes to allow their bodies to sense fullness.
The results of the study revealed that each woman consumed 100 calories less than when they ate meals without a starter salad. However, when they ate smaller salads, such as those typically served in American restaurants, the woman ate only 50 calories less. Besides when served salads higher in fat there was an increase in their calorie intake by 17 percent.
The American Institute for Cancer Research found that most people do not decide the quantity they eat by the fullness they feel but on how much food they are served. This approach may not have a positive impact on calorie intake.
