Creamy butter or ice cream versus a crunchy granola bar: a new study suggests that the texture of foods influences people’s dieting choices.
“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.
The study
In one experiment, participants were asked to sample foods that had soft, smooth, hard or rough textures and then estimate their calorie amounts.
In another test, volunteers were asked to watch and rate a number of television ads, thinking that was the test. But they were also given cups with bite-sized brownies as a “thank you” for their time. Half of the participants were also asked about the amount of calories in the brownies.
Some of the participants received softer-textured brownies while the other half got crunchier brownies. People who had been asked about the calories in the brownies which forced them to focus on caloric intake — ate more of the crunchy brownies than soft. On the other hand, those whose minds weren’t focused on calories tended to eat more of the soft brownies, the investigators found.
The researchers believe this is due to "oral haptics–calorie estimation," which is the relationship between how much you chew a food and how you perceive the calories. The more you chew, the fewer calories you believe a food has.
Bottom line
As a general rule most people would agree that raw veggies, i.e. a hard food, are low in calories. But maybe the reason you find it difficult to put down your fork (or spoon) down when eating mashed potatoes or ice cream isn’t only the taste that does it, but also the texture.
Interesting, but not all soft foods are high in calories. For example, oatmeal and yogurt are excellent meal choices. Similarly, not all hard foods are low in calories—pretzels, rock candy, and licorice all come to mind for me. As a general rule, though, people eat slower when consuming hard foods, which could lead to less consumption and fewer calories by default.
Really, this area of research needs to be further explored. As the study authors conclude, "Understanding how the texture of food can influence calorie perceptions, food choice, and consumption amount can help nudge consumers towards making healthier choices."
Here you find the recipes to bake crunchy or chewy brownies: try to guess the calories before reading them!
Chewy peanut butter brownies
Time: 40 mins - Makes 1 9x9 inch pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/3 cup margarine, softened
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, cream together peanut butter and margarine. Gradually blend in the brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix until fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture until well blended. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven, or until the top springs back when touched. Cool, and cut into 16 squares.
Nutrition facts per serving: Calories: 177; Cholesterol: 26mg; Total fat: 8.5g; Total carbs: 22.8g; Sodium: 158mg; Fiber: 0.7g; Protein:3.7g
Marshmallow crunch brownies
Prep time: 30 mins - Cook time: 30 mins - Cuts into 16 squares
Ingredients
- 75g (3oz) unsalted butter, chopped, plus extra to grease
- 150g (5oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
- 2 medium eggs
- 150g (5oz) granulated sugar
- 75g (3oz) plain flour
- ½tsp baking powder
For the topping
- 100g (3½oz) white mini marshmallows
- 25g (1oz) unsalted butter
- 200g (7oz) milk chocolate, melted
- 40g (1½oz) Rice Krispies
Directions
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Lightly grease and line a 20.5cm (8in) square tin with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a pan over a low heat, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool for 5min. Meanwhile, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl with a handheld electric whisk until pale and moussey – about 5min. Fold through melted chocolate mix. Sift over flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt, then fold through. Scrape into tin, then level and bake for 15-18min or until just set. In a clean pan, melt marshmallows and butter over low heat until smooth, stirring frequently. Scrape over hot brownie (still in tin), and spread to level. Set aside for 30min. When the marshmallow has set, spread melted milk chocolate over the top. Scatter over Rice Krispies and press in lightly. Chill to set. Allow to soften at room temperature for 10min before cutting into squares.
Nutrition facts per serving: Calories: 255; Total fat: 12g; Saturated fat: 7g; Total carbs: 33g; Sugars: 26g; Fiber: 0.7g; Protein: 3g
