The recommendation to eat only until you are 80% full without putting a strain on your body ~ Nutritionist's Column Vol.74

Autumn, the season of appetite, has arrived.
There are so many delicious seasonal ingredients available at this time of year that you can end up overeating.

People who tend to overeat should be mindful of the rule of "only eating until you are 80% full."
This time, I would like to talk about the key points and benefits of eating only until you are 80% full in your regular meals.

Eat only until you're 80% full and you won't need a doctor

There is an old saying in Japan that goes, "If you eat until you're 80% full, you won't need a doctor."
This means that you can stay healthy by not eating until you are full .

▼ Risks that are said to arise from repeated overeating
・Increases daily calorie intake, increasing the risk of obesity and lifestyle-related diseases. ・The digestive enzymes required for digesting food cannot keep up, leading to a deterioration of the intestinal environment due to a lack of enzymes. ・A deterioration of the intestinal environment has a negative impact on both appearance and immunity. ・The stomach and intestines become exhausted, leading to chronic fatigue and a decline in metabolism.

Conversely, it can also be said that by making an effort to eat only until you are 80% full, you can maintain a healthy body.

Is it true that if you eat only until you are 80% full, you won't need a doctor?

Why is it said that eating only until you are 80% full is good for your health?
Since the 1980s, various scientific verifications have been conducted in various countries around the world.

A study using mice was conducted at Tokai University School of Medicine.
The study compared the average lifespan of mice that had no restrictions on the amount of food they could eat with mice that had their diet restricted to 80%.
As a result, it was reported that the mice restricted to 80% had an average lifespan 1.6 times longer than those with no restriction.

In addition, Kanazawa Medical University is conducting an experiment on humans in which participants were asked to follow a diet that restricted their daily calorie intake by 25% for several weeks.

As a result, it was found that the amount of an enzyme produced by the " sirtuin gene ," also known as the "longevity gene," increased several-fold.
The sirtuin gene is said to be activated by starvation, calorie restriction, and light exercise such as walking.

As these studies show, eating only until you are 80% full is an effective eating habit for maintaining good health.

How full is 80%?

So, how much does "being 80% full" refer to?

There is no set amount, but if the amount you eat that makes you feel full is 100%, then the amount you feel like eating a little more is 80% full.
The reason you feel unsatisfied even though your stomach is full is because there is a time lag before your brain reacts that you are full.
If you eat thinking you still have room, you'll end up overeating after 10 to 20 minutes.

Try to be aware of how much food you eat on a regular basis that makes you feel full.
It's important to stop eating when you feel like you can still eat but are no longer hungry.

Tips for eating only until you are 80% full

Even if you try to challenge yourself to eat only until you are 80% full, it's quite difficult.
So, I've put together six tips on how to eat until you're 80% full.

1. Chew more and eat slowly
Chewing your food well and eating slowly stimulates saliva production, which aids digestion.
There is a time lag between eating and the satiety center being stimulated.
By taking your time to eat, even a small amount of food can stimulate your satiety center and prevent overeating.

▶ Ideal Meal Timing ~Nutritionist's Column Vol.67

2. Use ingredients to bulk up your meals
For those who have difficulty feeling full, we recommend bulking up your meal.
By actively incorporating healthy ingredients such as vegetables, konjac, mushrooms, and seaweed that are rich in dietary fiber, you can increase the appearance and volume of your meals.
Many of these foods are chewy, which naturally increases the amount of chewing you do, stimulating your satiety center.

3. Be protein conscious
We recommend a high-protein diet, which stimulates the satiety center and increases the secretion of hormones such as leptin and serotonin, which suppress appetite.
Try to be conscious of protein in your diet.

4. Be mindful of the order in which you eat
Dietary fiber, which is abundant in vegetables, mushrooms, seaweed, etc., is expected to have the effect of moderating the rise in blood sugar levels.
It also helps you feel full and prevents you from overeating, so eat foods that are high in fiber such as vegetables first, followed by protein-rich meat, fish, and soybeans.
The key is to eat rice, which is rich in carbohydrates, next.

5. Decide how much to eat first
If you put the amount of food you want to eat on your plate in advance, you can know how much you want to eat and prevent overeating.
When you share food on a large platter, it's hard to keep track of how much you've eaten, so you end up overeating.

Also, serving food on a small plate can help prevent overeating. The same amount of food feels larger, and you get visual satisfaction.

6. Don't eat while doing other things
When you eat while watching TV or using your smartphone, your attention is not focused on eating, but is instead distracted by other things.
As a result, you may chew less, eat slowly, or have difficulty keeping track of how much you've eaten.
Simply focusing on your food can make a difference in how full you feel.

Try to only eat until you are 80% full.

In a sense, eating only until you are 80% full can be said to be a way of eating that puts less strain on the body.
The foods you choose and the amounts you eat will vary depending on your physical condition and the situation, but it's important to listen to your body and stick to the appropriate amounts.

Daily meals are important for living.
Get into the habit of eating only until you are 80% full, a way of not putting stress on yourself, and live a healthy life.

The morning after you've eaten too much.
Purchase GRØN plant-based protein here .

——————————————————
Nutritionist, Food Education Instructor, Food 6th Industrialization Producer Level 4
Ayako Ishihara

A nutritional advisor in the healthcare field and an agribusiness professional.
She is involved in a variety of activities specializing in the fields of beauty and health, including giving lectures to Miss World Japan candidates.

With the philosophy of "enriching the mind and body through food and realizing a vibrant society where people and communities are connected," he founded i-Field Co., Ltd. in 2013 and serves as its representative.
He is a core member of the food team for "DINING OUT," which opens outdoor restaurants in various regions, and also participates in fashion brand projects.
She is also involved in the promotion of local ingredients, product development and production specializing in "health" and "beauty," branding, concept design, food hygiene, sales promotion, training planning and management, etc. She is in charge of nutritional supervision for GRØN's product development, proposing ways to incorporate them more effectively into consumer health.

——————————————————