Glass shape and portion control
 

I ran across this research on the relationship between the shape of the glass we use for drinks and our perception of portion size. Basically, most people ignore the width of a glass and just consider its height when estimating portions. So, if we see juice in a short, wide glass we think there's less of it than if we see the same amount of juice in a tall, thin glass.

This suggests a dieting trick: drink water from a short wide glass, and caloric drinks from a tall thin one.

Kim

Hey! The article was a little hard to understand--I think they're saying that people with a short glass will pour more into it because they perceive it as holding less. Is that how you read it, kaw?

So yes--that would be a good strategy.

I find that I assume exactly what I think the article said--I think a tall glass holds more, when in fact it doesn't necessary do so--all other things being equal. That's why I tested with a measuring cup--and now I know how much I'm getting in my household glasses.

Jay

Ha - I definitely am guilty of making the assumption that a tall, thin glass holds more than a short, wide one.

One example I can think of right away is 12 oz Red Bull cans. They're built thinner but taller than a regular 12 oz soda can, giving you the illusion that you're really drinking a lot of Red Bull, when you're actually just drinking the same amount as a can of Coke (and only 4 oz more than the original can of Red Bull).