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How to stop a sweet treat binge – using tongue psychology

Your brain is not the only organ weighing in on culinary decisions, your tongue’s preferences impact too. So what does the tongue like ? Soft and smooth, please

Food glorious food………

Let’s face it, we don’t just eat food to obtain all the necessary calories and nutrients.  We eat because it feels good.

The brain is not to blame

Now, when we overindulge – the brain is frequently held responsible, for not knowing when to stop.  And as the boss, the brain is the higher authority……..

But the brain is not the only organ weighing in, on these decisions.

Research published in the Journal of Consumer Research, suggests, the tongue’s preferences, can have a big impact on just how much of a particular food is consumed.

So what does the tongue like ?

Tongues like…

The researchers report, soft and smooth is your tongue’s preference.

The team established this, when they rewarded volunteers with cups filled with sweet treats, something tongues were expected to love.

But the sweet treats weren’t equal.

Choosing sweet treats

Some volunteers received hard brownies, while others received soft brownies.  The reward was framed as “eat as much as you like ………… you deserve it”. Behind the scenes, the researchers counted up, exactly what was eaten.

Volunteers receiving cups filled with soft bits – emptied their cups, a lot quicker, than those who received cups with hard brownies.

It makes sense….

Tongues are into touch

Soft and smooth is going to feel quite different to, hard and rough.

Tongues enjoy the sensation of being enveloped by velvety substances….

Plus, in addition to the sensual touch from the food, soft and smooth requires a whole lot less crushing and grinding, to get it in a format that is easy to swallow. And less chewing means less work, for tongue and your molars.

Unfortunately, soft and smooth is typically a high calorie food…..

Calories amass in soft and smooth

For a food item to be described as soft and smooth, it usually needs to have a creamy constitution.  To have a creamy constitution, typically requires lots of fat.  Since fat is calorie dense….

Food items that are soft and smooth are potentially “fattening”.

NOTE : It is not that fat is bad per se, but too many calories, whatever form they are in, will make you fatter.

Some tongue favourites

Mmmmmmmm.  I am thinking of ice cream and mashed potatoe with lots of cream and butter.

Contrast this with a serving of raw vegetables.

Hard, rough and ……….low on calories.

This relationship is not news….

Brains know calorie maths

When the researchers asked volunteers to estimate the calorie counts of their brownie bites, with different consistencies, all the volunteers KNEW………

The smooth chocolate brownies, came with a higher calorie count.

Brains are not stupid, they know calorie maths. The trouble is, in the moment of culinary delight, you’re not interested in the brain’s point of view.

Your tongue’s opinion dominates.

But your brain can get a word in edgewise,………… if you’re reminded.

Remembering to count calories

When the team encouraged their volunteers to be mindful of the calorie count of their brownie reward. The dipping into the cup filled with soft and squishy brownie bites STOPPED SLOWED.

In fact, when all was said and done, more hard brownie bits were eaten.

The volume of brownies eaten, with and without calorie reminder. The pale bars show the hard brownies, the dark bars, show the soft and squishy brownies. Copyright 2014 Jstor

The short and tall of the situation…….. when the volunteers considered the calorie count, they were able to listen to the brain’s advice.

Curtail your binges

Your brain is one smart cookie.   But, it is not a bully……… it allows the tongue moments of indulgence.  Regrettably too many moments of indulgence, can create havoc, if you are weight watching.

So next time you notice you tongue is having an orgasmic experience, savouring something soft and smooth…………….

Intervene.

Give your tongue a bit of a tongue lashing – focus on the calories !

Of course, you can use a little deception to get those vegetables down……… smooth and creamy is just what the tongue ordered………

Sometimes you have to use a little tongue psychology, to create BETTER BODY CHEMISTRY and better health.

NOTE : Watch out for the “hard food is healthy deception”. A hard as nails biscuit, is still a biscuit i.e. it is a high carb sugar laden snack.

Further reading

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