Have you ever wondered why McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut choose red as their colour?
Colours are believed to trigger various emotional responses. Researchers and supporters of chromology consider colours to havea power to affect our feelings and emotions, and also our appetite. According to them, these are the ways we can use colours for an effective weight loss:
Blue
In one of Crowd Control’s social experiments aired at The National Geographic Channel, researchers look at the issue of overeating in the United States. They replaced a restaurant’s large plates with small ones and changed their decorations with the colour blue. The result: the numbers of diners who returned for their second plate were significantly reduced.
The exact reason why this happens is not known, but the researchers believe that one of the reasons is because blue is a soothing colour. They interviewed one diner, and he stated that the room’s setting made him feel relaxed, which allowed him to slow down and pay attention to his food. Another explanation is that blue is not a natural colour. There are very few blue foods in nature that we subconsciously avoid them when we come across one. This is why some people lose their appetite when eating from a blue plate. So, if you want to try and lose weight, maybe painting your kitchen and dining room blue will help.
Colour Contrast
Overeaters have a high risk of gaining weight and obesity. According to some researches, using plates that are in contrast to your food can be an effective solution.
Using contrasting colours can help you control your serving portion. Research from Cornell University found that people ate about 20% more pasta in white Alfredo sauce when it was served on a matching white plate, and ate less on a red plate. Scientists believe that the brain is more mindful of each bite and more aware of portion sizes when there’s a colour contrast.
Sort Food by Colour
Sort the food in your fridge according to colour. Put the healthy foods in the most accessible area and the less healthy ones in an area that is hard to reach. This will help you cut down junk food consumption.
This system was implemented by a team of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, where foods in the hospital’s lunchroom were arranged according to colour (green – healthy foods, yellow – less healthy foods, and red – foods with little nutritional value). The experiment showed a decline in the sales of red items like soda and a rise in green items like water and lowfat dairy.
Sourced: stethnews.com
