New Research Points to Popcorn and Frozen Meals for Cutting Calories
October 20 2014 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Research Reveals Satiety Benefits of Popcorn
and Frozen Meals Compared to Popular Snack and Meal Bars
Those trying to look and feel better have more options when it
to comes to midday snacks and meals, thanks to two new research
studies presented by ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) at the Academy
of Nutrition and Dietetics’ 2014 Food & Nutrition Conference
& Expo™ (FNCE®). The findings illustrate how popcorn can make
people feel more full and satisfied, and single-serving frozen
meals can help people eat less. These research studies, led by
Kristin Reimers, PhD, RD, ConAgra Foods, reveal that popcorn and
frozen meals are more satiating than snack and meal replacement
bars. In fact, in the case of the frozen meal study, participants
consumed fewer calories daily.
Registered dietitian and author of The Small Change Diet, Keri
Gans, says, “This is great news for people who typically reach for
popular meal replacement or snack bars when trying to cut calories,
but want more flavorful food. While bars are convenient, eating a
natural, high-fiber snack like popcorn or a convenient, hot meal
like Healthy Choice® or Marie Callender’s® may be more satiating,
as seen in these studies. This can translate into helping people
eat less without feeling deprived.”
Popcorn vs. Snack Bar StudyGrocery
aisles are packed with trendy snack bars promising various health
benefits, which may be leading many to abandon traditional and
healthful snack foods in favor of bars. In the popcorn study,
researchers provided study participants 100 calories of either
low-fat popcorn (Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop! ®), reduced-fat
popcorn (Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet Naturals®), a chewy granola
bar or a fruit/nut bar. Participants were then asked to rate their
feelings of hunger and fullness. Compared to bars, participants
reported feeling more full and satisfied after eating both low-fat
and reduced-fat popcorn.
Single Serving Frozen Meals vs. Meal
Replacement Bar StudyResearchers compared frozen meals to
meal replacement bars to determine which was more satisfying. Study
participants’ usual lunches were replaced with either a Healthy
Choice or Marie Callender’s frozen meal, or a meal replacement bar.
Participants reported less hunger – and had less desire to eat in
the afternoon – when they ate a frozen meal instead of a bar over
three days. Replacing a typical meal with a frozen meal resulted in
the greatest average calorie savings: 500 fewer calories daily,
potentially adding up to 3,500 calorie savings weekly.
These findings build on previous research showing that popcorn
is a highly satisfying snack choice, and portion-controlled frozen
meals may help individuals reduce calories in an easy, convenient
way. When people are searching for a satisfying way to reduce
calories, enjoying a frozen single-serving mea or a 100 calorie
popcorn snack are choices with clear benefits.
For more information about the studies, visit
www.ConAgraFoodsScienceInstitute.com.
ABOUT THE STUDY & METHODOLOGYPopcorn vs. Snack Bar StudyOnce a week over four
weeks, study participants came to the study center, were served a
standard breakfast, and three hours later ate one of each of the
four snacks (low-fat, reduced-fat popcorn, granola or fruit/nut
bar) in random order. Participants were asked to rate their
feelings of satiety before and thirty minutes after the snack.
Participants reported higher satiety levels after eating both
low-fat and reduced-fat popcorn as compared to bars.
Single Serving Frozen Meals vs. Meal
Replacement Bar StudyStudy participants ate all meals at the
study center three days per week for three weeks. During the first
week, participants ate a self-selected buffet lunch. During the
second and third weeks, for three days each week, participant
lunches were replaced with either a single serving frozen meal
(Healthy Choice or Marie Callender’s providing 280 calories) or a
meal replacement bar equal in calories. Other meals were not
controlled for calories, but total calorie consumption was
measured.
This research was supported by ConAgra Foods, Inc., and
abstracts are available as of October 17, 2014, via
www.ConAgraFoodsScienceInstitute.com.
ABOUT CONAGRA FOODSConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) is one
of North America's largest packaged food companies with branded and
private branded food found in 99 percent of America’s households,
as well as a strong commercial foods business serving restaurants
and foodservice operations globally. Consumers can find recognized
brands such as Banquet®, Chef Boyardee®, Egg Beaters®, Healthy
Choice®, Hebrew National®, Hunt's®, Marie Callender's®, Orville
Redenbacher's®, PAM®, Peter Pan®, Reddi-wip®, Slim Jim®, Snack
Pack® and many other ConAgra Foods brands, along with food sold by
ConAgra Foods under private brand labels, in grocery, convenience,
mass merchandise, club and drug stores. Additionally, ConAgra Foods
supplies frozen potato and sweet potato items as well as other
vegetable, spice, and bakery goods to commercial and foodservice
customers. ConAgra Foods operates ReadySetEat.com, an interactive
recipe website that provides consumers with easy dinner recipes and
more. For more information, please visit us at
www.conagrafoods.com.
EdelmanErin Hulliberger,
312-240-2989Erin.Hulliberger@edelman.comorConAgra FoodsLanie
Friedman,
630-857-1086Lanie.Friedman@conagrafoods.comwww.conagrafoods.com
ConAgra Brands (NYSE:CAG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
ConAgra Brands (NYSE:CAG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024