Smelling your food before you eat it could help you stay slim, a study suggests.
Experts have found that smelling a meal before eating can induce a feeling of fullness, thus helping to prevent overeating.
The discovery was made by German researchers who analyzed brain scans of mice as they reacted to food odors.
They have identified a specific group of nerve cells in the brain that has a direct connection to the nose.
The mice ate less when these cells were activated before meals, but only when exposed to food odors and not other odors.
The authors said it is not yet known whether the same olfactory process to suppress appetite works in humans.
However, they noted that our brains contain the same group of nerve cells responsible for this reaction as do mice, suggesting that it may have a similar effect.
But this "trick" won't work for those who are already fat—the study found that obese mice didn't show the same brain response when they smelled the aroma of food.
This is thought to occur because obesity impairs the sense of smell, a process that has also been observed in humans, the authors explained.
Sophie Steculorum, a study author and neuroscience expert, said:
"Our study shows how much our eating habits are influenced by the smell of food. Our findings highlight the importance of taking into account olfaction in appetite regulation and the development of obesity. Since we found that this mechanism reduces appetite only in lean mice, but not in obese ones, our study opens a new avenue to prevent overeating in obesity."
Scientists believe that this reaction in rats is related to their survival instincts.
"We think this mechanism helps mice in the wild protect themselves from predators. By eating for shorter periods, they reduce their chances of being caught," explained the study's first author and neurology expert, Janice Bulk - GazetaExpress reports.
Other previous studies have suggested that smelling certain scents before eating can reduce appetite in people.
In particular, the smell of apples, mint and pears was reported to curb the desire to eat throughout the day, according to an American study.
But other studies have shown mixed results, finding that overweight people ate significantly more after smelling food aromas.
This comes after recent research shows that eating eggs and vegetables before fries can help you stay lean.
According to experts, consuming fiber, protein, or fat before carbohydrates can reduce or delay the rapid rise in blood sugar levels.
These sudden increases are linked to obesity, as fluctuations in blood sugar make it more likely that hunger and cravings will occur between meals.
The latest data suggests that around 14 million people are obese in England—more than a quarter (26.5%) of the population.
It has also been revealed that an increasing number of areas have at least a third of adults living with obesity, many of them in the Midlands or the North East.
The obesity crisis costs the NHS more than £11 billion a year and the economy billions more in lost productivity and social benefits.
The NHS advises that the best way to lose weight is to adopt a healthy diet and incorporate regular physical activity. /GazetaExpress/
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