Increasing the water content of a food can enhance its satiety value, and reduce energy intake. Experiments from Penn State University revealed that when a food of high water content such as soup was consumed there was a subsequent decrease in energy intake at that meal compared with eating a more calorie-dense product such as a casserole. Drinking the equivalent amount of water along with the casserole did not reduce the energy intake of that meal, and the energy intake at the next meal did not increase to compensate for the lower calorie intake of the first meal. Weight management would appear to be better facilitated by focusing on the consumption of foods high in water content.
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