There's no such thing as low-fat M&M's candy. But participants in a Cornell study investigating low-fat snacking habits were told otherwise. With two bowls placed in front of them -- one was labeled low fat; one regular -- these individuals were put to the test. And what a test it was.Think about this:
Participants consumed eight more pieces of candy from the low-fat bowl than they did from the regular bowl. Those who were overweight ate 23 more M&M's than those within normal weight ranges.
What sort of test was this, exactly? A test to determine if eating reduced-fat foods makes for more virtuous munching.
The answer: Nope!
When we believe foods have lower calories, we tend to eat more, say researchers, whose study is briefed in the April 2007 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. And while it's commonly thought that low-fat foods have 40 percent fewer calories, they actually average only 11 percent fewer.
"We are more vigilant about how much we eat when we're eating regular versions of foods," says Brian Wansick, Ph.D., director of Cornell's Food and Brand Lab. "Better to go with the regular stuff -- we eat less, and we enjoy it more."
