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Variety in a meal enhances food intake in man

by Barbara J.Rolls, E.A.Rowe, E.T.Rolls, BredaKingston, AngelaMegson, RachelGunary

Abstract: AbstractWe find that in man satiety can be partly specific to foods eaten [12]. The possibility that this specificity of satiety leads to overeating if a wide variety of foods is readily available is tested here. The intakes of subjects offered a variety of foods in succession during a meal were compared to intakes when the same food was offered throughout. Subjects (n=36) ate a third more when offered sandwiches with four different fillings than when just one filling was offered (p<0.001). In another study subjects (n=24) ate significantly more when three flavors of yogurt (hazelnut, blackcurrant, orange) which were distinctive in taste, texture and color were offered than when offered just one of the flavors (p<0.01), even if the flavor was the favorite (p<0.01). However, when subjects (n=24) were offered three flavors of yogurt (strawberry, raspberry, cherry) which differed only in taste there was no enhancement of intake when the variety was offered. Having a variety of foods presented in succession during a meal enhances intake, and the more different the foods are the greater the enhancement is likely to be.

Subjects were given varieties of a food vs. just a single option, e.g. sandwiches with 4 different fillings or just 1, or 3 varieties of yogurt vs. just 1. They generally ate more when presented with more variety, even if the 1 option was their favorite. When given variety of 3 yogurts that only differed in taste, not texture or color, they did not eat more.

Original source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0031938481900147