M&M Tasting on Dr. Oz: Can mindful eating help habituation?

By Michelle May, M.D.

Mindful Eating Satisfies the Body and the Mind

Can eating imaginary M&Ms® lead to eating fewer real M&Ms®? Yes, according to a study published in the December 2010 issue of Science called “Thought for Food: Imagined Consumption Reduces Actual Consumption.”

The study hypothesized that visualization allowed subjects to habituate to (lose interest in) eating the candy, and therefore eat less when they ate the real ones.

Can You Think Yourself Skinny?

Dr. Oz, Dr. Michelle May (author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat) and Gary Wenk Ph.D. discussed the possible applications of this research in a segment called “Can You Think Yourself Skinny?” on the Dr. Oz Show on Monday, March 28, 2011. (Watch the videos: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3.)

Thought for Food

We’re bombarded with information from both the environment and our internal state. Habituation allows us to tune out unimportant stimuli when the novelty wears off so we’re not constantly overwhelmed. For example, you may notice the sound of a fan when you initially walk into a room, but soon it becomes nonexistent.

In the study, people who visualized themselves eating 30 M&Ms® or 30 cubes of cheese ate less of that food. We know that mind-body connection is very powerful; this study suggests that visualization facilitates the process of habituation to food.

Eating mindlessly decreases habituation

Brain scans show that certain areas of the brain “light up” with the first bite of chocolate. By the 20th bite, the response is markedly decreased. When you eat while you’re distracted, you’re not fully aware of the appearance, aromas, flavors, and textures of the food. Therefore, you may not habituate to it as you eat it or you may not notice that both your body and your brain have lost interest in the food. Instead, your hand may continue to move to your mouth automatically and unconsciously. At the end of eating, you’ll feel stuffed but strangely unsatisfied.

Eating mindfully may increase habituation

Even if you’re not willing to eat 30 imaginary M&Ms® first, by eating each of the real ones mindfully – with attention to the appearance, the aromas, the textures, the flavors, even the movement of your hand – your brain can take in the information and feel satiated sooner.

The secret to eating what you love is to love what you eat!

So, what color is the “m” on an M&M®?