Pump up the volume – how changes to the energy density of a meal can lower your kilojoule intake but still keep you satisfied. It’s simple, in scientific terms, eat less and you’ll lower your kilojoule intake! However, there’s no debate in the nutrition world about the failures of extreme diets that restrict your food intake, leave you ravenous with hunger and grieving over the loss of your favourite foods. In the long run they don’t work, as simply, they’re just not sustainable. If you’re trying to reduce your kilojoule intake to lose weight, what is important is the amount of kilojoules in a portion of food or the “energy density”. Foods can vary greatly in energy density. Those with a high energy density have lots of kilojoules in a small serving and are typically low in water content. On the other hand, foods with a low energy density have fewer kilojoules for the same weight or portion. A little less dense The idea is to make adjustments to the meals you currently enjoy to lower the energy density and save kilojoules. If you switch carbohydrate for fat in a food, you’ll lower the energy density or kilojoules per portion. Fibre is also a great addition, as it bulks out food and lowers the energy density without providing any kilojoules. And if you add water, you’ll in effect dilute the kilojoules and lower the energy density. Take grapes and sultanas as an example. For the same amount of kilojoules you can eat roughly ¼ cup of high energy density sultanas or close to two cups of lower energy density grapes with added water! Which would leave you feeling more satisfied? The best approach to lower the energy density of your diet is to include more foods and dishes high in water and fibre. The best place to start is to increase your fruit and vegetable intake, as these foods are naturally high in water and fibre. But you can also lower the energy density by eating more meals like soups and stews (casseroles) that have a high water content – just skip the sour cream garnish! For instance you might make it a rule to:
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