Peppermint, green apple, and banana can help you with cravings and more
Mike Geary, fitness expert and author of 101 Sneaky Weight Loss Tricks, presented some new research recently. He writes:
“Our olfactory sense (brainiac translation = “our sense of smell”) is directly tied in with our brain’s perception of what we eat, and as recent research has concluded:how MUCH we eat.”
He cites a pair of randomized, double-blind studies from 1999 consisting of over 3,000 subjects who had at least 10 pounds to lose. In addition, most of the subjects claimed to be negatively affected by their weight, including impaired sex lives, bad feelings about overeating, poor self-image, and lack of energy.
The test subjects were instructed to only change one thing in their diets: one test group was directed to sniff a specific aroma prior to eating their meals and whenever they felt hungry. They smelled Peppermint, Banana, and Green Apple.
The other group (the “control” group) was given a placebo inhalent that simply smelled like detergent.
At the end of the study, the “smelly” subjects reported:
- 50% decrease in food cravings
- Decreased appetite
- No nagging hunger pains
- Much less “snacking”
- AND they lost 497% more weight! (19.15 lbs average vs. only 3.85 lbs in control group)
Geary says that this is why this works: “One of the factors that tells your brain that you’re “full” is
your sense of smell as you bring food up to your mouth to eat. Literally, after your brain senses it’s “smelled enough,” it
tells your body you’re full and it’s time to stop eating.”
If you want to try this at home:
1. Find yourself 3 different essential oils (even candles will work if you can find them) that match the 3 used in the study: Peppermint, Banana, and Green Apple
2. Use each scent for one month and then switch to a different one.
3. Keep the scent handy throughout the day and sniff it in the following instances:
– 5 minutes prior to your “main” meals
– 5 minutes prior to any planned snacks
– Any time you feel hungry
4. To “sniff properly”: plug up one nostril and sniff the scent 3 times through the other and then switch. Do this 3 times for each side (total of 18 sniffs) at the designated times.
We have to admit that we haven’t tried the sniff trick, but we’re curious—please let us know if you do!