Most people who have been through a few "salad" phases know that food when you're dieting isn't particularly fun, sweet or sour and generally doesn't do anything much to excite the taste buds. Now scientists have found a new way to artificially change the taste of what we eat, and it has been proven to dramatically aid weight loss.

Senses affecting the amount we eat
Dr Alan Hirsch of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago found that people who suffered trauma would often gain between 10 and 20 pounds due to their loss of sense of smell and taste. Using this knowledge, Hirsch hypothesised that heightening the senses of smell and taste may therefore aid in weight loss.

Hirsch says that he started from the result and worked backward: "This approach uses natural physiology to help people lose weight, which is different than other approaches. We know that diets don't work because people do not have the will power to succeed. Instead of looking at the front end - how people eat - we looked at the back end, how can people feel full faster?!

Banana crystals work magic
Over a six month period, 1436 volunteers weighing on average 208 pounds (94 kg), took part in the study whereby they were given savoury and sweet crystals to put on their food and were told not to change their dietary and exercise habits. The crystals tasted of things such as cheese, onion, ranch dressing, coconut, banana and strawberry. A further 100 volunteers comprised a control group who were given placebo crystals.

Poweful tastes equal satiety
The results were extremely encouraging, the main group lost an average of 30 pounds (13.6kg), as opposed to 2 pounds in the control group. Hirsch theorises that his "tastant" crystals worked a treat, as they enhanced the feeling of fullness, or satiety. When food has a powerful taste or smell, the sensation of fullness actually becomes more acute and obvious as the powerful taste awakens the senses to the fact that we have had enough.