Just listen to your own chew when you want to lose weight. Huh? Yes! The background noise of the food is really supposed to help curb the appetite. That is why:
Not only the eyes eat with: Eating is an experience for all the senses, because in addition to feeling, smelling, tasting and seeing, even the auditory impression plays an important role in the selection of our food. In this way, we can tell whether a product is fresh or not by its appearance or taste, but also with the help of our hearing. If a cucumber is no longer crunchy, very few will bite into it again.
"When we perceive food noises, we develop an awareness that shows us when we are full."
For many people, television, computer, radio or smartphone are simply part of dinner. However, the study, which was published in the journal "Food Quality and Preference", warns against the use of entertainment media while eating. They drown out the chewing noises that cause us to eat fewer calories. "When we perceive food noises, we develop an awareness that shows us when we are full," says Gina Mohr, one of the authors of the study.
"The sense of hearing is probably the last thing we think about in connection with food intake," said Dr. Ryan Elder. "However, if we concentrate more on the noises that are made when eating, we eat less food, which is beneficial for maintaining a healthy weight," says the scientist. The researchers emphasize that this is not about the noises that are made during preparation, such as meat sizzling. In the worst case, these can even have an appetite-stimulating effect.
In the study, the scientists divided the study participants into two groups, who were served pretzels. While one group was showered with soft tones through headphones, the others got the "full boom". They were exposed to a loud background noise - and this also had a direct effect on their eating behavior: While they ate four pretzels on average, the participants in the other group ate an average of 2.75 pretzels. "At first glance, the difference doesn't seem very big, but calculated over a whole year, the pretzels turn into extra calories and can thus promote weight gain," says Dr. Elder. The study also emphasizes that mindfulness is one of the most important factors in developing healthy eating habits. "Concentrate on the entire process of eating, not just the taste, smell and appearance of the food, but also the noises that are made when you eat it. They reduce our appetites and we automatically eat less," advises Dr. Moor.
