For Effective Weight Loss, Choose Crunchy Foods - Study 0 115

According to the study, we consume food twice as fast when it requires less chewing. However, the most important finding is that we feel full faster when eating solid and crunchy foods.

Methodology of the Study

In the experiment, researchers from the Netherlands provided 50 participants with four identical lunches — two of which were ultra-processed and two were minimally processed. It is important to note that one dish in each category had a firmer and crunchier texture, making it difficult to consume quickly, while the other was softer.

The results showed that people consumed 26% fewer calories when the lunch had a firmer texture, regardless of the level of processing, as such dishes could not be eaten as quickly.

More complex dishes included boiled rice instead of soft mashed potatoes, crunchy salad instead of coleslaw, and chewy chicken breast instead of fish snacks.

Among other foods on the plate were a firm fresh apple instead of canned soft mango, thick plain yogurt instead of flavored yogurt drinks, and thicker tomato salsa instead of tartar sauce. All lunches had the same calorie count and were rated equally on a “deliciousness” scale.

Nevertheless, participants consumed fewer calories — about 300 calories less — due to the firmer and crunchier lunches, as they ate less food. This is likely because they had to chew more before swallowing, which slowed the overall pace of food consumption by nearly half.

The researchers suggest that the slower eating process allows the body to better track the amount of food consumed, leading to a quicker realization of fullness.

Professor Kieran Ford, the senior author of the study from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, noted: “We now have more than ten pieces of evidence that people who choose textures that make them eat slower, such as crunchier, firmer, or chewier foods, can consume fewer calories while feeling just as satisfied.”

Interestingly, the lowest average calorie intake during the study — 483 calories — was recorded when participants ate solid minimally processed food, while the highest intake (790 calories) was observed when consuming soft highly processed food.