Eating chips with dip can increase calorie intake by 77%: study

Holy guacamole!

Researchers at Penn State University have discovered a catastrophic link between squats and calorie intake.

They found that diners consume 77% more calories when they eat chips served with dip than chips alone – plus they eat the chips faster.

“The most striking findings of our study are that people didn’t eat fewer chips when dip was available — they ate the same amount of chips, plus dip,” said John Hayes, professor of food science and director of Penn State Sensory. Assessment Center.

For the study, 46 adults visited the center twice over a two-week period. On one visit, they were served three small bags of farm-flavored chips. In another, they were given the same amount of chips and a 1/3 cup of ranch.

Test subjects were encouraged to eat as much as they wanted, while the researchers recorded the number of bites taken and the time spent eating.

The team hypothesized that adding ranch to the snack offer would cause participants to eat fewer chips to compensate for the addition.

However, contrary to compensation theory, participants ate the same amount of chips and tasty spreads.

Hayes noted, “This lack of compensation means that adding immersion can significantly increase overall energy intake without people realizing it.”

The volunteers consumed an average of 345 calories of chips and dip per snack session, compared to 195 calories when eating only chips.

When chips and dip were served, the snackers surveyed also took larger bites and ate faster.

The findings were published in the November issue of Food Quality and Preference.

Hayes, the corresponding author of the study, says that understanding the motivations and methods of eating food is essential to the treatment of overeating and obesity – a global problem.

As of 2022, more than 1 billion people – 43% of adults – were living with obesity worldwide.

Hayes hopes that “this research opens new avenues for exploring how the physical properties of foods can influence our eating behaviors and, ultimately, energy intake.”

He added: “If we can slow people down, we can influence energy consumption without giving up the enjoyment of food.”

And the evidence shows that we are a nation of overweight people and dedicated divers. A 2022 survey of 2,000 adults found that six in 10 are not shy about eating dips straight from the container.

If they had to choose a container to offer their dips, participants chose tortilla chips (40%), vegetables (36%), chips (38%), or pita bread (32%).

The same survey found that people love dips so much that 35% would happily replace a typical lunch meal with their favorite spread. In fact, an adult usually does this about five times a month.