Apparently how full you feel and for how long, have to do with your brain and how you perceive the food you eat, according to new research. The key to weight loss or maintaining a fit body weight could be something as simple as how filling we think food will be before we even eat it!
In a study conducted by the University of Bristol, UK, led by Dr. Jeff Brunstrom, the hypothesis that we are satisfied by how much we think were eating rather than how much we are actually eating, was tested.
Study participants were led to believe they were eating more quantities of food and consequently it was found that the participants felt fuller and more satisfied, regardless of the actual quantity of food they were consuming. Also, memories of satisfaction derived from prior meals were seen to make a difference.
So it would seem that the amount of appetite and satiety we derive from our food is a complex mix of expectations before we begin to eat as well as memories post eating.
The findings of this research could have significant implications – for food labeling for instance, since it indicates that the “extent to which a food can alleviate hunger is not determined solely by its physical size, energy content, and so on.” This could be the reason that we find foods labeled “Light” or “diet” may offer us less satiety.
