The UK's Daily Mail reported that research from the University of Leeds found that seeing and smelling healthy food can help people who need to diet and lose weight achieve their goals. Even without eating them, having a well-stocked supply of fruits and vegetables at home can help maintain a healthy diet.
Nicola Buckland, who participated in the research, said that when people are tempted by food, those on a diet should "take a moment to focus on the sensory properties of healthy foods, such as looking at the appearance of fruits or vegetables, and smelling their aroma." She said, "Healthy food can immediately serve as a reminder to dieters, or they could order a salad to start a meal, which would also help with eating less."
In the experiment, after smelling the scent of fresh oranges, participants ate more than half less chocolate than they normally would. If they ate a salad before the main course instead of bread, they would eat less of the main course when it arrived. The analysis suggests this is because seeing the fruits and vegetables reminded them to be mindful of their eating habits.
Ms. Buckland suggests that to maintain a healthy and moderate diet, the dining table should have at least one bowl filled with fruits and vegetables, and the refrigerator should also be well-stocked with them. This can increase the likelihood of sticking to the diet plan. Even when not at home, people can carry a piece of fruit or a small carrot to help resist food temptations. Alternatively, when dining out, ordering a salad as a starter can also reduce the total amount of food consumed.
The study also found that healthy foods can help people improve their self-control, with the greatest benefit possibly when they are very hungry. In the experiment, participants were given a standard lunch, and two hours later, when they received a snack while already full, whether they had previously been exposed to fruits and vegetables had no impact on the amount of snack they ate. This experimental result indicates that the "magic" of fruits and vegetables may be most useful when a person is very hungry and facing the potential to overconsume unhealthy foods.