In-built calorie counter means you’ll always watch what you eat

HUMANS have an in-built calorie counter that automatically monitors how much energy is in our food and helps us eat less fatty foods, a study has found.

Our brains know how calorific a meal that we have consumed is and our appetites adjust accordingly.

The findings challenge current theory that humans are unaware of how many calories are in their food, making us vulnerable to overeating.

University of Bristol researchers say people were not told whether they were eating a low or high-energy meal.

Annika Flynn, the lead author, who is a doctoral researcher in nutrition and behaviour, said: “For years we’ve believed that humans mindlessly overeat energy-rich meals. Remarkably, this study indicates a degree of nutritional intelligence whereby humans manage to adjust the amount of high-energy density options they consume.” The study, in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at a 2019 trial where 20 healthy adults who were in hospital for four weeks were given standard, everyday meals such as a chicken salad sandwich with fig roll biscuits, or porridge with blueberries and almonds. The original study looked at both ultra-processed foods and healthier options, and each meal had a specific amount of calories as well as sugar, fat, fibre and macronutrient content.

The researchers speculate that there is likely to be a turning point where a person registers that their meal is packed with calories and they then subconsciously decide to eat less.

Ms Flynn said: “People ate smaller portions of a creamy cheese pasta dish, which is an energy-rich meal, than a salad with lots of different vegetables which is relatively energy-poor.”

Jeff Brunstrom, the study’s co-author and professor of experimental psychology, said: “This research gives weight to the idea humans aren’t passive overeaters after all, but show the discerning ability to moderate how much of an energy-rich meal they consume.

“This work is particularly exciting as it reveals a hidden complexity to how humans interact with modern energyrich foods, something we’ve been referring to as ‘nutritional intelligence’.

“What this tells us is we don’t seem to passively overconsume these foods and so the reason they are associated with obesity is more nuanced than previously thought.

“For now, at least this offers a new perspective on a longstanding issue and it opens the door to a range of important new questions and avenues for future research.”

‘We do not passively overconsume these foods – so their association with obesity is nuanced’