Food Companies Might Start Using Texture To Make You Eat More
It is true that we have some subconscious feelings about food that affect our choices. This is important to be aware of because it might cause us to make unhealthy choices.
The texture of our foods might be linked to our perception of their calorie content. A recent study found that when we consume foods with a rough or hard texture, we perceive them as lower in calories.
In one of the experiments, participants were asked to watch TV ads and consume brownie bits. The catch was that half were asked to be wary of the caloric content and the other half were not. The groups either consumed soft brownie bits or hard brownie bits, no mixing. The results found that those not worried about calories ate more soft brownies, while hard brownie consumption increased with the concern for caloric intake.
These findings can help the food industry by including a new way of marketing different textures to promote healthy foods. These findings however shouldn’t be completely relied on. Why? Just because cookies and potato chips are rough in texture, doesn’t mean they have fewer calories–if only. Smooth, soft foods like Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are low in calories and high in health benefits, which seems to go against what the experiments found. Yet this is an interesting finding for the food industry and may play a bigger role in the future of nutrition.