If we look at the food served on plates, it seems that the average amount of food has increased in the last few years.
Even though people usually know how much food is sufficient for them, how much they eat while eating depends on many things.
How much food we eat also depends on how big the plate or thali in which we are eating is.
Apart from this, if we are served more food while eating, then this is also a reason behind our overeating.
Many researchers have studied the circumstances under which we eat more food and what effect does it have on our health?
James Stubbs, professor of appetite and energy balance at the University of Leeds, explains: “When people overeat, they are at risk of developing habits that are bad for their health. Eating this kind of food in large quantities can have negative consequences.”
It is still not clear what exactly is causing us to overeat. But attractive marketing and offers of food items, our dependence on pre-packed food may be the reason for this.
Apart from this, ‘value for money’ food offers from restaurants and serving food on large plates also make us overeat.
Claire Thornton-Wood, a food expert and spokesperson for the BDA (British Dietetic Association), says: “In the 1970s, the average plate was 22 centimetres. Now it has become 28 centimetres. That means our food has also increased.”
She further says, “Apart from this, restaurants are also serving more food. People are confused about whether they should do the same at home.”
The quantity of food we should eat depends on many things, such as our age, gender, weight, height, physical activities etc.
If you do more strenuous work or are a sportsman, then you will need more food. And if you work sitting in the office, that is, your physical activities are not much, then you will need less food.
According to Wood, it also depends on how many times you eat in a day and what you eat.
She says, “There is an easy way to understand how much we should eat. Actually, we can know it from our palm.”
“Mutton as big as your palm, chicken or fish as big as your hand, and as many vegetables as you can eat with both palms cupped together are enough for you.”
Apart from this, she recommends eating a handful of carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, pasta etc.) and a handful of fruits throughout the day.
Stubbs says that healthy women need about two thousand calories and men need about two and a half thousand calories every day and their food quantity is decided on this basis.
Professor Stubbs says, “Every person is different, so an average quantity of food is not appropriate for everyone’s needs. But if people eat more than required, it can become a problem.”
“Many people don’t understand that not everyone needs the same amount of food,” Wood says.
For example, if you’re serving a family meal, everyone doesn’t have to be served the same amount, but rather serve them according to their needs.
Using a spoon to measure portion sizes can be a good idea.
Healthy eating isn’t just about how much you eat, but also what you eat.
Wood says eating foods rich in protein or fiber will keep you feeling full for longer.
Soups with beans and vegetables are also great, she says, because they’re high in protein, fiber and water.
Fat has more calories than any other nutrient, and it can also make you feel satisfied while eating.
According to them, healthy fats from foods like olive oil, avocado, fish, nuts and seeds are also good to consume in limited quantities.
Stubbs generally recommends avoiding highly processed foods. However, he believes that you do not need to give up your favorite things.
Stubbs said, “80 percent of our diet can be healthy, low-calorie nutritious foods, and the remaining 20 percent can be our favorite foods or high-calorie foods.”
Both experts say that do not worry about how much you eat, just eat in balanced quantities and stay healthy.
Read Also:
Are you planning to take a joint home loan? So you should be aware of…
According to research, it has been found that 67% of Indians have taken a personal…
Nowadays, taking a loan has become easier than earning money, so let us tell you…
In this article you will read about the advantages and disadvantages of business loans. Business…
First of all, let us know what is a good loan? These are those loans,…
In this article we have provided information about essay on mobile addiction. Mobile phone has…