Apparently the scientists found that study participants ate
more when the food blended in with the colour of the plate (a white creamy
pasta sauce on a white plate), and an
average of 32grams less when there was a strong contrast between the food and
the plate colour (the same white pasta sauce served on a red plate).
The researchers concluded that dieters should use plates in contrasting
colours to the food if they want to eat less, and if they want to eat more of for
example, greens, then serve them on a green plate so the portion
blends in with the same-colour background.
My first thought was that it must be great fun to get paid
for playing around with pretty coloured plates and food all day J but to get to the point – I am quite torn on
this. One the one hand the whole thing
sounds quite batty!
However, the study also mentions an optical illusion
discovered in 1865 which states that 2 circles of the same size can be
perceived as different sizes when they are surrounded by a circle of a much
larger size or a slightly larger size respectively. For ‘circle’ read ‘dinner plate’, meaning that a portion of food will look
larger on a smaller plate but smaller on a larger plate.
Now that makes complete sense to me because everything is
relative, so a smaller plate will fool the brain into thinking it has eaten a
larger portion, and will lead to feelings of fullness quicker than a same-sized
portion on a larger plate.
I suppose that the ‘coloured plate’ theory is just an
extension of this principle, and the brain will register portion size more
easily and accurately when there is a strong contrast between food colour and it’s
surroundings. So it begins to sound
plausible.
I’m wondering, though, whether the study participants were
aware of what was being tested by the experiment - probably not because the researchers would want
to avoid them being subconsciously swayed one way or the other. Which leads me to doubt whether in reality
the principle would have the same effect on dieters who were deliberately,
therefore consciously, choosing to eat from a contrasting colour plate in order
to eat less. I’m guessing that might not
work so well.
As with most things surrounding food, it’s complicated. And what happens if the dieter is
colour-blind?
Let me know your thoughts on all this in the ‘comments’
section. Is this theory complete bunkum, or does it have some mileage?
Have you ever tried something like this and had any success with losing weight? Will you try to lose weight using this technique in future? If so,
leave a comment and let me know the result!
