DALLAS TX – You’re gathered with family or friends for a delicious holiday meal. You start to eat by piling food on your plate. Before you know it, there’s no room left … and you haven’t yet made it to the cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes.
Almost all of us have been there before, but it need not happen, according to Dr. Lona Sandon.
As a nutrition expert and associate professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, she suggests taking a different approach to holiday meals. It is one that will keep you from overindulging, and regretting it later when you feel like a stuffed turkey.
“Before jumping into the holiday buffet, take your time to scan all that is there,” Sandon says. “Pick the foods you most want to (eat), and take a small portion. Focus on the flavor and texture of your favorite foods. Set your fork or spoon down between bites.”
The communication between the stomach and the brain is a complex process, she explains. It runs through a pathway, called the gut-brain axis, to regulate food portions. The stomach signals its fullness to the brain as it stretches with food and releases hormones that signal satiety, or the feeling of being full. The brain responds by decreasing appetite.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Unsplash+, used under license
Take Your Brain’s Advice
“If we aren’t paying attention to this feeling, we can easily overeat,” Sandon explains. “The greater variety of foods and flavors we have on our plate, the more likely we may be to eat more than needed.”
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fat in foods also trigger hormones – such as insulin and leptin – to shut down appetite. It takes awhile for that to happen, though. So, the nutritionist observes, if you eat too fast during holiday meals you won’t get the signals until it’s too late.
The combination of fat, salt, and sugar in many foods that are holiday traditions also can drive the desire to eat more. Both the tongue and the brain find this combination pleasurable, Sandon says. On the other hand, foods high in fiber and lean protein help us feel full and satisfied.
Holiday hosts also should keep healthy eating in mind when preparing for their guests, she adds. Using smaller plates, cups, and serving utensils, as well as avoiding overfilling serving dishes, can help reduce the amount of food and beverage consumption. Folks tend to serve themselves larger portions when dishes are piled higher.
“I’m always a fan of using smaller cocktail plates and cups to manage portions,” Sandon proposes. “They limit you without you having to think about it.”
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