Fructose consumption seems to decrease hormones that control food intake.

Researchers found that normal weight women who consumed fructose-sweetened beverages lowered their 24-hour insulin and leptin levels as well as increased the post-meal triglyceride levels as compared to glucose-sweetened beverages. The hormones insulin and leptin help control satiety levels, and the authors suggested that high fructose intakes might lead to obesity.

PositiveTip: Most soft drinks and many sweet desserts are high in fructose, and would best be avoided.

Fatty foods decrease brain activity in areas responsible for sadness.

Using MRI technology, brain researchers may have found why fatty foods such as ice cream, french fries, twinkies etc, seem to comfort us when we are feeling down. Fats appear to decrease brain activity in the areas associated with sadness. Participants were infused with either saline or fatty acids. The saline produced no change in sadness ratings or brain activity, while fatty acids did.

PositiveTip: Eating fatty foods may feel temporarily comforting but isn't the best way to deal with emotions. Exercise can help lift our mood without packing on the pounds.

Wolfing down your food short-circuits the "I am full" messages to the brain.

Many people today feel so pressed for time that they eat so rapidly their brains don't get the "I am full" message until they have eaten more than they should! A Greek study found when adult males were given a leisurely 30 minutes to eat one cup of ice cream containing 675 calories, they had higher levels of two gut peptides that signal satiety than when they ate the same amount of ice cream in 5 minutes. Lead author Alexander Kokkinos said, "The warning we were given as children that 'wolfing down your food will make you fat' may in fact have a physiological explanation."

PositiveTip: Take time to savor and enjoy your meals: you will feel more full and be less likely to overeat!