By whichever name, the effect is the same — people who eat Subway vs. McDonald’s, for example, because they think they’re eating healthier (i.e., less fast and saturated fat) misestimate calories and so eat more at Subway.
Contrary to the surveyor, though, I don’t think this is idle ignorance. I think it’s a mix of willful ignorance and the typical American desire for “magic bullet” solutions, especially, but by no means limited to, diet.
Monounsaturated fats do NOT magically help you lose calories. Even fiber from whole grains doesn’t, though it can at least “satiate” your innards more.
(That said, that Subway sub, if you’re getting it on white-flour bread, definitely isn’t a lot healthier than Mickey D’s.)
Oh, and beyond providing clear calorie content for fast food, along with fat and saturated fat, sodium content ought to be mandatory, too.
But, back to the main point.
You wanna lose weight? Stop eating so damned much, and start exercising more. Stop looking for magic bullets.
As for those so-called health haloes, French researcher Pierre Chandon tells people that, when they get to a restaurant like Subway, which they recognize as having a health halo effect, to practice active skepticism against that halo.
Read the full story for his suggestions.
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