6 tips to avoid overeating and control your food intake

The Lunar New Year is approaching, and there will be plenty of feasting and drinking. I’m worried that I’ll gain some extra weight after the New Year. For the sake of your health, overeating or eating too much is not a recommended diet. The Huffington Post website lists 6 tips to avoid overeating.

Using a plate with a color that contrasts sharply with the food can visually influence people to eat less. (Photo/taken from the U.S. Huffington Post)

1. Drink water at all times to reduce appetite

It sounds like a cliché, but a study published in the journal "Plos One" in the past did find that the human body is more likely to feel hungry when it is dehydrated; therefore, timely replenishment of water or any liquid beverages can have the effect of reducing appetite.

2. Foods with strong odors can reduce food intake

For example, foods with strong odors, such as blue cheese or vanilla, stimulate the sense of smell, according to the journal Flavor. In a study, the stronger the vanilla flavor of the food, the less the subjects ate. Foods with strong odors will stimulate the senses to perceive the food as high in calories and greasiness, so the brain will send messages so that people will not want to eat too much.

3. Strong contrasting colors can control appetite

Color contrast has a strong visual stimulation and will also affect people's perception of food when eating. Studies have found that strong contrasting colors can reduce people's appetite. For example, high-calorie spaghetti bolognese can be served on a blue plate, while if it is green vegetables, a bright yellow plate is the best color to reduce appetite.

4. Small bowls and plates make it easier to feel full

A study from Cornell University in the United States pointed out that using larger cutlery can reduce food intake by about 10%, while using smaller plates to hold food can reduce daily calorie intake by more than 20%, because the visual perception will make people feel that the amount of food is sufficient, thus easily feeling full.

5. Dim the lights and add music to reduce food intake

The romantic candlelight dinner atmosphere also has a positive effect on reducing food intake. This is more of a psychological discussion, which believes that although music will not affect people's decision to order food, they will consume fewer calories when listening to gentle music. In addition, the study also pointed out that this is also related to why fast food restaurants can easily make people gain weight. The noisy and bright dining environment makes people want to finish their food quickly and eat more calories without realizing it.

6. Vibrating fork reminds you to eat as much as you want

If you eat too much or too fast during a meal, the vibrating fork will vibrate to warn the eater not to eat any more. After the meal, you can connect it to a computer to record your meal time and calories consumed; over time, this can help you get rid of the habit of overeating.