At least that’s what some scientists are saying. According to researchers like Per Moller of the University of Copenhagen, we don’t stuff ourselves because food is insanely delicious. We do it because food isn’t delicious enough. Wait, what? Most of us think that we’re powerless against mouthwatering foods like chocolate cake. And when given a giant slice, it’s near impossible to not eat the entire thing. But according to recent research, we might not actually be the bottomless junk food pits that we think we are. MORE: 12 Fruits and Vegetables That Will Help You Lose the Most Weight Take this 2013 study published in the journal Flavor. On one day, Moller measured subjects’ hunger and fullness levels while they ate a basic bowl of tomato soup. On another day, he measured the same things while they ate another version of the soup made more flavorful with chile peppers. It’s no surprise that subjects said that they liked the more flavorful soup better—but they didn’t eat more of it. In fact, it took less of the soup to make them feel satisfied. Another group of researchers got similar results when they fed subjects equal portions of delectable chocolate mousse or ho-hum cottage cheese. Turns out, the subjects were less likely to experience cravings after eating the chocolate mousse than after eating the cottage cheese. Which, when you think about it, makes a lot of sense. When you eat something that’s just OK, you leave the table still thinking about whatever yummy thing you really wanted but didn’t have. But when you eat the actual delicious thing you want, you feel more satisfied—and are less interested in continuing to stuff your face. MORE: 5 Clean Weight Loss Smoothies That Double as Dinner Think about something really rich and flavorful, like Parmesan cheese. The first few bites are pretty amazing—but how much of it can you actually eat? A few shards, maybe, but not an entire wedge. “The same applies to wines and chocolate. Very few people can eat a whole 100 g bar of Valrhona chocolate in one go, but easily perform this feat with chocolate of a lesser quality,” Moller wrote in his Flavor study. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should start eating cheese and chocolate for every meal. Clean foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains should still make up most of your diet. What this might mean, however, is that you shouldn’t feel guilty about adding some cheese to your salad, or saying yes to that amazing dessert when you’re at your favorite restaurant. At least it’s worth a try.
