from journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
It is known that eating a few walnuts makes us feel fuller, but researchers say it was surprising to see brain activity change by what people ate and how hungry they felt. The study at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston used brain imaging of volunteers and, as expected, those consuming walnuts felt less hungry than when they were given foods not containing walnuts. Brain imaging also showed increased activity when volunteers were shown pictures of highly desirable foods when they were on the walnut diet, suggesting more cognitive control over their food choices. Other than the immediate knowledge that a handful of walnuts could help control our appetites, the study may lead to developing new medications to keep weight down.
The study is in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.