Variety is the spice that drives obesity

Have you noticed – the more culinary options there are, the more you eat ?

At Uncle Willy’s funeral, the church ladies went all out to provide a spread, on offer there was two different types of chocolate cake, sausage rolls, a quiche thing, scones with cheese, scones with jam, a decadent cheesecake and a plateful of sandwiches. Despite the sombre occasion, you sampled everything and then went back for an additional piece of the cheesecake.
Your lunch box includes a sandwich with ham, one with peanut butter, one with chicken and one with sandwich spread. You’ve had enough half way through sandwich number 3, but can’t resist eating the last, because it is the chicken one.
There are 10 different colours of jelly beans in the dish – be honest, they all taste the same, but you still tried at least one of every colour.

Savouring the flavours

Most humans don’t just eat to fuel up, it is a pleasurable experience which goes beyond a physiological necessity. We love to experience different flavours and textures on our tongue.

It is hard wired into us …

Biologically. It ensures we eat lots of different foods, increasing the chance that we consume all the micronutrients needed for optimum health.
Culturally. It ensures we are perceived as a gracious host and our abundance bumps up our social status.

Boring food fills you quicker

Peanut butter sandwiches are appealing so long as you are hungry. As soon as the grumbling hunger pangs have been satisfied, the peanut butter sandwich loses its charm.

Peanut butter sandwiches are BORING !

The fullness illicited by the peanut butter sandwich is based on the gut, providing the brain, with the message, “I am full”.

A message that can be easily overridden by the sensory regions of the brain should something packed with different flavours, become available.

Something that happens in most modern meals. The reason you can be hungry for nice things.

The land of plenty

Bad genes and bad habits can cause the land of milk and honey to be the land of wobbly bellies, heart break and disease.

Many studies suggest people suffering from obesity battle to hear the “I am full message” at the best of times. Throw in a sensory delight of multiple flavours, so that the taste buds never tire of the flavour and overeating is inevitable.

Simplify the food offering

So the next time you have to cater something – simplify, serve only one –

one type of cake or cookie
one type of dessert
one type of sandwich
one colour jelly baby

Apply this principle to calorie rich foods only – you need to eat more than one kind of vegetable !

Take only one

If you’re not the host, but an attendee at an event, you need to be tuned into your biological urges and then exercise the incredible power of the human brain, by overriding your biology. Look around at the options, then take ONE.

One slice of chocolate cake will satisfy the nibbles, without packing on the pounds.

NOTE :

If you’re seriously watching your weight, you will probably be better off taking NOTHING. The energy equation dictates that weight loss requires you to keep

Energy in < energy out

Even just one slice of chocolate cake maybe too much !

Avoid buffets

Buffets are the land of plenty, on steroids.

The multitude of dishes each advertising their wares, coupled with the economic “benefit” of eating as much as you can for a fixed amount, mean the “I am full message” WILL NOT be heard

Remember what you save in food bills now, you’ll end up paying in doctor’s bills later, obesity costs more than just a beach holiday in a bikini.

Variety is not the spice of life

Variety is strangling the life out of many people because too much variety. contributes to obesity.

Interested in learning more about the chemistry behind those munchie attacks ?

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