|HealthExtra: Eat more? Lose more?|
That might be possible if your diet includes lots of high-water, low-fat foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, soups and low-fat dairy. These low-calorie-density foods allow you to eat satisfying portions and may decrease feelings of hunger and deprivation. Pennsylvania State University researchers compared two diets: one low fat, the other low fat with water-rich foods. More than 70 obese women were counseled by dietitians about making appropriate low-fat or low-fat, low-calorie-density food choices. Participants weren’t given calorie limits. At the end of one year, both groups lost significant amounts of weight. However, women eating water-rich foods lost more weight in the first six months than those on just the reduced-fat diet—19.6 pounds compared to 14.7 pounds. Dieters’ records showed that those in the low-calorie-density group ate 25 percent more food by weight and felt less hungry than those in the other group. The study appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.