When The Ice Cream Talks to You

Have you ever felt when you eat a delicious ice cream that the ice is talking to you, enticing you with an eat me eat me message.  Scientists have discovered that the effect is real.

Source: Wikipedia

In September the Southwestern Medical Centre (SMC) in Dallas released research findings that said that fat from certain foods such as burgers and ice cream head straight to the brain. From the brain, the fat molecules send out messages for the body to over-ride signals from the appetite suppressing chemicals lectin and insulin.

This effect can last up to three days. This squares with anecdotal evidence that revellers who eat fatty foods on a Friday night can feel hungrier than normal on the following Monday.

The SMC researchers investigated whether a particular type of fat was responsible for the effect.They investigated oleic acid (which is found in olive oil), monounsaturated fatty acid and palmitic acid. Palmitic acid is associated with the saturated fats found in beef and dairy products. 

The effect only occurred when palmitic acid was involved.

This pace of medical research provides another reason why we should avoid saturated fats.

Saturated fats encourage us to eat and become less aware of the appetite suppressing signals that we receive from insulin and leptin.