Confessions of a Corporate Shopaholic

I came across this interesting article on Men’s Health how some food ingredients can trick our bodies into not recognizing fullness, and we all know what happens after that.  We continue eating even after we have finished a satisfying lunch or dinner.  Men’s Health listed these 7 reasons from the book “The New American Diet” by Stephen Perrine and Heather Herlock.

1. You Drink Too Much Soda

Sodas and sweetened beverages contain high-fructose corn syrup, which according to new research from the University of California at San Francisco, can trick our brains into craving more food, even when we are full.  “It works by impeding the body’s ability to use leptin, the “satiation hormone” that tells us when we’ve had enough to eat.”

2. Your Dinner Came Out of a Can

True.  A good breakfast drammatically cuts down my craving for a heavy greasy lunch.  “After following 6,764 healthy people for almost 4 years, researchers found that those who ate just 300 calories for breakfast gained almost twice as much weight as those who ate 500 calories or more for breakfast. The reason: Eating a big breakfast makes for smaller rises in blood sugar and insulin throughout the day, meaning fewer sudden food cravings.”

 

4. You Skipped The Salad

 

“…leafy greens…are rich in the essential B-vitamin folate and help protect against depression, fatigue, and weight gain. In one study, dieters with the highest levels of folate in their bodies lost 8.5 times as much weight as those with the lowest levels. Leafy greens are also high in vitamin K, another insulin-regulating nutrient that helps quash cravings. Best sources: Romaine lettuce, spinach, collard greens, radicchio.”

 

5. You Don’t Stop For Tea Time

 

Ok, easy.  They are not talking about those egg tarts, cakes and chicken wings you may be thinking about.   They are talking about actual tea here.   “According to a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, people who drank one cup of black tea after eating high-carb foods decreased their blood-sugar levels by 10 percent for 2 and a half hours after the meal, which means they stayed full longer and had fewer food cravings. Researchers credit the polyphenolic compounds in black tea for suppressing rebound hunger.”

 

6. You’re Not Staying Fluid

 

Can’t be more true.  So many of us are simplying not drinking enough water.  “Dehydration often mimics the feeling of hunger. If you’ve just eaten and still feel hungry, drink a glass of water before eating more, and see if your desires don’t diminish.”

 

7. You’re Bored

 

I’ll be damned.  How many of us want to eat just because we hate to get back to work?  “Researchers at Flinders University in Australia found that visual distractions can help curb cravings. To test yourself, envision a huge, sizzling steak. If you’re truly hungry, the steak will seem appealing. But if that doesn’t seem tempting, chances are you’re in need of a distraction, not another meal.”

 

The book comes highly recommended from fellow readers.   Check it out even if you are not American – our diets are getting similar!