Rewire Your Brain

You don't have to be a slave to your junk food cravings forever. You may be able to train your brain to yearn for healthy foods, a new study from Tufts University found.

Researchers looked at brain scans of 13 study participants at the beginning and end of a six-month trial. Some of the subjects followed a healthy-eating plan while others maintained their normal diets. The scans looked specifically at the striatum—the reward center in your noodle responsible for addictions and cravings—to see how it lit up in response to images of both high-calorie and healthy foods.

After six months, those who had changed their diets for the better had higher striatum activation when they saw healthy foods—such as grilled chicken and green salad—and a lower response to foods like French fries and cookies. (They also lost an average of almost 14 pounds.)

Just like you train your muscles for a specific sport, you can apparently train your brain to eat better, says study author Susan Roberts, Ph.D., director of the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at Tufts.

The reason you crave high-calorie foods in the first place is because they do such a good job at satisfying hunger pangs. "If you eat M&M's, you're going to get this huge rush of sugar and fat that's easily digested and soothes your hunger now," says Roberts. "Your brain gets used to the idea that this chocolate taste is really good at fixing hunger, so that the next time you get ravenous, you'll want to go find it again."

Roberts' study found that you can weaken those brain associations by mixing craveable flavors—like bits of chocolate—with foods that have higher protein or fiber so the treat you want is still absorbed, but not as quickly digested. The study also helped create new brain connections at big meals by having participants eat overall nutritious foods—like a grilled chicken salad instead of mac and cheese—so that, over time, they would associate these choices with feeling satisfied.

While it may not match your natural craving, try to start opting for lean proteins and vegetables to quell your hunger, instead of two slices of pizza. This can strengthen your preference for nutritious food to fill you up, Roberts says. And when you're in the throes of your next sweet craving, just make sure there's some protein and fiber in the mix so you don't get the digestive equivalent of a shot of heroin straight to your bloodstream. For your chocolate fix, this Perfect Afternoon Snack should get the job done.

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