Behavioral, plasma, and calorimetric changes related to food texture modification in men.

We hypothesized that food texture modifications might alter anticipatory reflexes, feeding behavior, and the postabsorptive consequences of ingestion. Two sets of complete meals with different textures but the same macronutrient composition were prepared. The first set was either a soup containing chunks of food (mixture) or the same soup blended until smooth (purée). The second set was either a rusk (R), a sandwich loaf (SL), or a liquid rusk meal (LR). We measured hunger and fullness feelings after ingestion of each food in a calibrated lunch, the ingestion rate, the duration between lunch and a spontaneous dinner request, the energy value, and the macronutrient composition of the ad libitum dinner. We also studied plasma modifications and respiratory gas exchanges from lunch to dinner. Feelings of hunger and fullness were not affected by texture modifications. The purée soup was consumed faster than the mixture (P < 0.05), and insulin, triacylglycerol, and energy expenditure were greater with the purée (P < 0.05). LR was less palatable than the other rusk lunch versions (P < 0.001), and R was ingested more slowly (P < 0.05). The lowest increase in plasma glucose occurred with SL, and the highest energy expenditure was seen with LR (P < 0.05). In humans, food texture modification affects not only eating patterns and palatability of ingestants but also metabolic management.