Scientists from the University of Leipzig (Germany) discovered that fiber – plant-based dietary fiber can reduce emotional hunger. Research results published In the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
Fifty-nine overweight young adults who followed a predominantly Western diet participated in the study. It involves eating more high-calorie foods and processed foods and eating fewer plant foods.
Participants were divided into two groups. Volunteers in the first group consumed 30 grams of inulin, a prebiotic derived from chicory root, per day for two weeks. Prebiotics are food ingredients that are not digested or absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Participants in the second group received a placebo.
At the end of the intervention period, all participants were asked to participate in an experiment in which volunteers looked at photographs of various foods displayed on a screen and rated their attractiveness. Participants also had to report whether they wanted to eat certain foods.
At the end of the experiment, the subjects were presented with the food with the highest score and asked to eat it. It was noted that at this stage, the brain activity of the participants was constantly monitored.
Electroencephalography (EEG) showed that when participants consuming prebiotics ate high-calorie foods, brain activity associated with the feeling of satisfaction with the food they ate decreased.
Scientists explained that this decrease in brain activity is associated with the satisfaction of emotional hunger, which is unrelated to physical hunger. Most often, emotional hunger occurs when experiencing negative emotions or viewing foods rich in fat, carbohydrates and sugar.
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