If it’s described as “healthy”, you’ll feel hungry

March 24, 2010

This fruit salad here? Turns out that if it’s described to you as “healthy,” you may eat more of it and feel hungrier afterwards than if you’d been told it was tasty and refreshing.

Researchers at the University of Chicago conducted such an experiment (using bread instead of fruit salad) and found this to be the case.

In another study of theirs, people were given the task of taste-testing food samples. Some people were told their task was to eat these healthy, tasty food samples, whereas others were told to eat food samples. Afterward, the latter group expressed less hunger than those who were told the samples were “healthy.”

I’m wondering if reframing your mindset when it comes to food choices, say thinking of it as merely fuel for your body versus in terms of tastiness or healthiness,  may help one cut down on calorie intake given you won’t feel that nagging hunger this study uncovered.

But where’s the joy in eating without a thought to tastiness?

Filed under: Diet,Healthy Swellness

Tags: calorie count, Diet, food, fruit, healthy eating, hunger, hungry, tasty, weight loss