The average American consumes about 5 lbs of food daily? If this is the average, there will be those that consume on the lower range of 3-4 lbs and the upper of 6 plus lbs per day.
Humans are volume and weight eaters. Our stomach stretches after consuming food, sending a signal to the hypothalamus (appetite center of brain) to stop eating. Our stomach can also hold about a quart of food at a time, more or less.
Since water has zero calories, eating high water content foods such as fruits and non starchy vegetables, contribute to feelings of fullness with less calories. Water has no calories whether inside a food such as fruits and veggies, or outside a food (drinking water).
Does drinking water (outside of food) count towards the 5 lbs of food? While drinking water is crucial for hydration and an aids in feeling full, the body can sense the difference and doesn’t count it towards our need for about 5 lbs of food per day. However, high water content foods, such as fruits and non starchy vegetables, do contribute to overall feelings of fullness and the approximately 5 lbs of food we typically consume per day. In addition to weight, the stomach stretches (from volume of food) during a meal, sending a signal via the vagus nerve to the appetite center of the brain, the hypothalamus, contributing to feelings of fullness.
Our bodies also detect nutrients in foods such as fiber, protein, carbs and fats which also contribute to fullness and satiation.
Making fruits and non starchy vegetables at least 50% of your intake per day, helps contribute to the weight and volume of food necessary to feel full and satiated. Fruits and starchy veggies are a fantastic way to help optimize nutrition and allows for satiation due to their high water content and volume. What’s an easy way to get high volume and weight on your plate with about 3/4 to 1 lb of food at a time, contributing to your intake of high water content foods? Have at least one large salad per day.
A large salad includes about .5-1 lb of veggies. In addition, a large salad is a great opportunity to maximize your health with a variety of colorful vegetables lowering the risk of not only obesity, but also cancer, heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
To increase nutrient diversity, strive to include colorful veggies such as greens (salad greens, cucumbers, scallions, etc.), reds (tomatoes, red peppers etc.), whites (mushrooms, cauliflower) purples (purple cabbage, purple onions), orange (carrots, orange peppers) and any and all colorful veggies you want. Chop them up small or shred to make them easier to eat. If you are rushed for time, keep it simple and just use a few veggies or if you have time, use as many as you’d like.
What type of salad greens? Many options including romaine, bib lettuce, baby romaine, baby lettuces of all varieties, baby kale, mature kale, arugula, among many others.
I would limit or avoid spinach as it is very high in oxalates which binds and prevents calcium absorption and can increase the risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones. I personally had two good sized kidney stones and was eating quite a lot of spring mixes (which usually have spinach) at the time which may have increased risk. Dealing with the kidney stones was one of the largest health issue I ever had to deal with as it lead to a hospitalization and multiple procedures. While only 8% of woman and 13% of men ever get a kidney stone, having high spinach intake may increase risk and with all the other salad greens available, I would severely limit or skip it. Equally important is having enough water intake in your diet to flush the kidneys of oxalate, at minimum about 64 oz per day.
Take home? Keep it simple and have a large salad daily. I often have salad, cut up raw veggies and/or steamed veggies with lunch, dinner or both. Strive for 50-75% of your plate or bowl with non starchy vegetables at both lunch and dinner to assist with feeling full, maximizing health and losing weight!
Have a healthy day!