IF YOU DO ONE THING THIS MONTH... break out your grater

IF YOU DO ONE THING THIS MONTH... break out your grater

\
You'll cut calories and add flavor by using this kitchen tool more often.

Most of us only reach for our kitchen graters to shave Parmesan or to zest a lemon, but utilizing the tool every day may help you shed a few pounds. "When ingredients are grated, it seems like you're getting a bigger portion, so you're satisfi ed with less," says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., a registered dietitian and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. In fact, a study published in the journal Appetite found that people believe they're being served nearly 50 percent more of a food when it's shredded. The next time you're adding high-calorie fare-like cheese or chocolate-to a dish, grate it instead of slicing or dicing it. Not only will the smaller pieces save you calories (a cup of grated cheddar, for example, contains 77 fewer calories than a cup of diced), they'll also spread more evenly throughout the meal, infusing every bite with fl avor. Our favorite serving suggestions: Grate cheese over steamed vegetables and chocolate over strawberries or bananas.