Chew This to Turn Off the Munchies
You could crush that 3 p.m. cookie craving just by chewing a little of this: gum.
That’s right. A study found that chewing gum can really put the kibosh on your afternoon appetite in a big way.
Countering the Snack Attack
People who chew either sweetened or sugar-free gum after lunch feel full longer, have fewer hunger pangs, have fewer cravings for sweets, and eat fewer afternoon snacks — compared with people who don’t chew gum.
Tickled Taste Buds Signal “Full”
How does chomping gum suppress hunger? It’s simple. When you eat, your taste buds are stimulated by the food. But the cool thing is that exposure to the tastes and smells of food also lessens how good it tastes. That, in turn, is one of the cues that signal your brain that you’re full, so cravings go away. Chewing gum may have this same effect — but without all the calories!
Mindful Consumption
You can make the gum trick work even better by thinking about how many snacks you’ve eaten. Then, try these other tips for better snack management:
Don’t snack in front of the computer.
Discover your emotional snacking triggers
Grab a tall drink of water before every snack.
Choosing the right appetizers may help you eat less:
If you’re trying to watch your weight, you don’t have to entirely avoid that bread basket and dish of olive oil before your meal. Noshing on whole-grain bread dipped in olive oil may actually help you eat less overall. Consuming a small amount of healthy unsaturated fat, such as olive oil, before a meal slows the rate at which the stomach empties, which means:
You’ll digest your food more slowly, so you’ll eat less but still feel full.
Your blood sugar won’t hit a high peak after you eat, but will remain at a lower, stable level.
Your body will more easily absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K, as well as fat-soluble nutrients such as lycopene and lutein.
It doesn’t take much: Just 70 calories worth will do the trick. This translates into half a tablespoon of olive oil, 6 walnuts, 12 almonds, or 20 peanuts.
Browse Encouraging Health.
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