Fooling brain into feeling full.

• Position: Obesity - Brief Article

Sprinkling flavor enhancing crystals on food before it is eaten can help individuals lose weight, according to a study conducted by Alan Hirsch, a neurologist and psychiatrist who is director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, Chicago. On average, the 92 overweight volunteers who completed the study lost 34 pounds over six months by being able to eat less of the foods they already enjoy. Hirsch explains that this is not a diet and that the crystals simply help people limit the amount of food they eat.

The premise of the study suggests that, by enhancing the taste of food, the brain is fooled into believing more has been ingested than actually has--making the person feel full faster. "After more...