Eating A Salad Or Two Makes You Eat Less
October 05, 2004

People who order a low-calorie salad, or two, before they start to eat their main course meal usually eat less, which might translate into weight loss for people seeking to lose a few pounds.

Researchers found that when people were served three cups of salad, containing about 100 calories, they ate 12 percent fewer calories, compared to people who didn't eat a salad.

Lead study author, Dr. Barbara J. Rolls, indicated eating low-calorie, but filling foods like fruits and salads reduces the total amount of food people eat the rest of the meal.

However, Dr. Rolls noted, the effect was only found when people ate a low-calorie starter. When people ate a 400 calorie salad with a high-fat dressing, they actually ate 17 percent more during the entire meal.

Dr. Rolls reported the findings in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

When 42 women were given the choice of 6 salads, or no salad, before a pasta lunch, the researchers found that woman who ate about 1-1/2 cups of salad, measuring 50 calories, consumed 7 percent less overall, during their entire meal, compared to those who did not to eat a salad. Eating 3 cups, about 100 calories, reduced total intake by 12 percent.

In this case, eating more low-calorie salad can actually amount to less....weight that is.

[source]