New Study: Train Your Brain to Prefer Healthier Food

Solar_Cat

Here's a very interesting article - http://www.iflscience.com/brain/it-may-be-possible-train-your-brain-prefer-healthier-food - about a new study that succeeded in training people away from preferring sugary treats.

Overindulging in unhealthy food for a prolonged period of time can cause excessive activation of the brain’s reward system for high-calorie food cues, which makes us more likely to choose that oozy chocolate pudding over an apple when a selection is available. However, all may not be lost for us. A new pilot study, published in Nutrition & Diabetes, suggests that it may be possible to gradually train the brain to prefer healthy foods over junk foods, reversing the addictive power of unhealthy food.

In a nutshell, after six months of eating a healthy, high-satiety, portion-controlled diet:

When the participants were presented with images of healthy, low-calorie foods, they found that those in the diet group showed significantly more activity in their reward centers compared to the control group. Reward center activation also significantly decreased in the diet group when images of unhealthy, high-calorie foods were shown. According to the researchers, this suggests the participants experienced an increased reward and enjoyment of healthy food.

Here's the study - http://www.nature.com/nutd/journal/v4/n9/full/nutd201426a.html - as published.

Himejii

Aww you beat me to the punch... good! (Glad I searched before duplicating).

Really true though. I never tried to start hating donuts, but now when I have a bite, they're utterly appalling. Likewise, pizza just isn't what it used to be. That could also just indicate the general decline of pre-packaged foods, but either way, bring on the veggie wraps!

iamcherylb

I've experienced this also. When I was in college I started taking my coffee with cream and no sugar (used to have it with 2% milk and 2 tsp sugar!) same with tea. Now I never put sugar in tea or coffee as I really dislike the taste of it. I rarely use sugar at all now except for occasional baking and when I make jam.

neanderthin

I wonder what reaction these participants would have had if real food was presented instead of pictures.

Francl27

Also depends on what they consider 'junk food'. I mean, prepackaged donuts, pastries and cake won't be very appealing to me either, heck even fast food isn't that tempting right now, but show me something from a nice restaurant, home made or from a bakery... yeah...

rgbmore

I wonder what reaction these participants would have had if real food was presented instead of pictures.

^ This. Although when it comes to training you how to order in a restaurant or such, it could be helpful. At a buffet, however, that training may just go out the window.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

In prepping for my competition, (which took about 6 months) I began to prefer healthier foods. I can't say this works for everyone, but it definitely happened for me. I NEVER crave fast food anymore, and the few occasions I ever get it, it tastes nasty.

That's not to say I don't enjoy desserts and treats every now and then, but 9/10 times nowadays I would prefer a big plate of chicken and veggies over a greasy burger, or a frozen fruit smoothie over a gooey piece of chocolate cake.

Francl27

In prepping for my competition, (which took about 6 months) I began to prefer healthier foods. I can't say this works for everyone, but it definitely happened for me. I NEVER crave fast food anymore, and the few occasions I ever get it, it tastes nasty.

That's not to say I don't enjoy desserts and treats every now and then, but 9/10 times nowadays I would prefer a big plate of chicken and veggies over a greasy burger, or a frozen fruit smoothie over a gooey piece of chocolate cake.

See, that has unfortunately never happened to me. I don't really crave fast food anymore though, I'll give you that, but I love my dessert...

LAT1963

Woo hoo! :happy dance:

HeidiCooksSupper

This has occurred to some extent to me. Sadly, however, there are still the wonderful, non-junk foods that are also good in extremis.

Dang. It's all about portion control and exercise. Drat. Dammit. ... Sigh

Himejii

I've experienced this also. When I was in college I started taking my coffee with cream and no sugar (used to have it with 2% milk and 2 tsp sugar!) same with tea. Now I never put sugar in tea or coffee as I really dislike the taste of it. I rarely use sugar at all now except for occasional baking and when I make jam.

I should try that. We went camping the other month and I forgot the sugar but remembered the cream. It was tolerable but not enjoyable, but I doubt it would take more than about a week to get used to it. Cream has a pretty sweet taste on its own.

As for fast food, I haven't reached the stage where I don't desire it, but recently I always regret it the moment I take a bite. Usually it's because I'm just so hungry and in a rush and not at home to grab something like a protein bar. I guess the smart thing would be to keep one or two in my backpack, so I can always get through the last hour of errands and then get home and have something decent.

BraveNewdGirl

I don't think I'll ever not be a pizzasexual. That said, I can absolutely agree that while my cravings for junk food haven't gone away altogether after months of more conscientious eating, they're definitely diminished. Neat study!

savinoca

Really true though. I never tried to start hating donuts, but now when I have a bite, they're utterly appalling. Likewise, pizza just isn't what it used to be. That could also just indicate the general decline of pre-packaged foods, but either way, bring on the veggie wraps!

I long for the day when I stop craving pizza... personally I don't think that's ever going to happen for me! :-)

aimforhealthy

IMHO there's no such thing as "healthy" food - just healthiER food and that varies for every individual (e.g., what is healthy food for a 75yo Celiac with multiple food allergies and a thyroid condition will be different than what is healthy food for a 45yo with hypertension, depression and an iron deficiency). No one can really decide what's healthy anyway - right now sugar is the popular whipping boy, but 30 years ago, the healthiest food was low-fat, until we discovered that was no good and moved on to salt, carbs, etc.

This study, to me, is framing an obvious fact of life (the foods you like are largely acquired tastes influenced by availability and culture) as a value statement that fits neatly with the current fad thinking from the diet industry. Of course you can train yourself to appreciate vegetables more than chocolate pudding, in a similar way that you can train the human eye to prefer cubism over schmaltzy landscapes. But that doesn't mean chocolate pudding (or pizza) is any more inherently "unhealthy" than vegetables. You can overeat both.

neanderthin

IMHO there's no such thing as "healthy" food - just healthiER food and that varies for every individual (e.g., what is healthy food for a 75yo Celiac with multiple food allergies and a thyroid condition will be different than what is healthy food for a 45yo with hypertension, depression and an iron deficiency). No one can really decide what's healthy anyway - right now sugar is the popular whipping boy, but 30 years ago, the healthiest food was low-fat, until we discovered that was no good and moved on to salt, carbs, etc.

This study, to me, is framing an obvious fact of life (the foods you like are largely acquired tastes influenced by availability and culture) as a value statement that fits neatly with the current fad thinking from the diet industry. Of course you can train yourself to appreciate vegetables more than chocolate pudding, in a similar way that you can train the human eye to prefer cubism over schmaltzy landscapes. But that doesn't mean chocolate pudding (or pizza) is any more inherently "unhealthy" than vegetables. You can overeat both.

Basically it comes down to individual taste. My homemade lamb burger with 30% fat might be considered less healthy that a fast food highly processed one based on fat g's and calories, so which is healthier? The foods that you can comply with on a consistent basis that meet all of a persons micro and macro needs.

GatorDeb1

I found this out on my own. I went sugar-free for 100 days back in January and even though I'm not sugar-free now (processed and added sugar and artificial sweeteners, I'm not talking about natural-occurring sugars as in fruits and vegetables), I eat mostly SF, and I had a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte just to see what the big deal was about. Not only did I not enjoy it, I would not have it again for free. I felt horrible and sluggish. Honestly I get more excited about egg whites and wheat bread. Once you go mostly SF and live that way and on a healthier diet, added and processed sugar tastes fake and feels horrible.

Solar_Cat

This study, to me, is framing an obvious fact of life (the foods you like are largely acquired tastes influenced by availability and culture) as a value statement that fits neatly with the current fad thinking from the diet industry. Of course you can train yourself to appreciate vegetables more than chocolate pudding, in a similar way that you can train the human eye to prefer cubism over schmaltzy landscapes.

...or the ear to prefer symphonies over heavy metal. I agree. From one perspective the study is so obvious as to make one scratch one's head over how they ever got it funded.

On the other hand, it's valuable to see it in black and white for anyone here who believes that they just can't change their "inherent" tastes. How many laments have been posted on these boards to that effect? "Oh, I just can't give up my triple-cheese stuffed crust pizza!" Okay. Now we know for sure that there are at least two valid responses:

1) You don't have to give it up. Just control the portion size so it fits your daily goals.

2) Yes, you can give it up if you want to. Train yourself to prefer other foods.

aimforhealthy

This study, to me, is framing an obvious fact of life (the foods you like are largely acquired tastes influenced by availability and culture) as a value statement that fits neatly with the current fad thinking from the diet industry. Of course you can train yourself to appreciate vegetables more than chocolate pudding, in a similar way that you can train the human eye to prefer cubism over schmaltzy landscapes.

...or the ear to prefer symphonies over heavy metal. I agree. From one perspective the study is so obvious as to make one scratch one's head over how they ever got it funded.

On the other hand, it's valuable to see it in black and white for anyone here who believes that they just can't change their "inherent" tastes. How many laments have been posted on these boards to that effect? "Oh, I just can't give up my triple-cheese stuffed crust pizza!" Okay. Now we know for sure that there are at least two valid responses:

1) You don't have to give it up. Just control the portion size so it fits your daily goals.

2) Yes, you can give it up if you want to. Train yourself to prefer other foods.

That's a very good point After a year and a half of this, I find that I DO look forward to trying out different recipes at home and more meat-and-vegetables-based meals. But I still like a good slice of cheesecake once in a while!