Think you are doing yourself a favor by eating low fat and diet foods?  Think again.  In a recent Purdue University study, rats that consumed a mix of low-fat diet chips plus regular, high-fat chips gained significantly more fat than rats that only consumed high-fat chips.

We’ve seen this happen in humans—the “I’m allowed to eat more because it’s low-fat” effect. But of course rats aren’t capable of this mentality. So why did they eat more? Hormones.

“Normally, the taste of fat would signal to the body the arrival of a lot of calories,” says Susie Swithers, Ph.D., professor at Purdue University, and author of the study. “The body prepares for these calories by releasing hormones that play a role in digestion and tell you to stop eating.” If your 150-calorie low-fat ice cream tastes exactly like last week’s 1,000-calorie banana split, your body won’t know how to react appropriately and might release inadequate levels of hormones, making you eat more.

The bottom line: Turning to substitutes like artificial sweeteners or fat substitutes isn’t the way to go because they can lead to overeating, says Swithers.

Good news: You can also trick your body into eating less by slowing down, instead of chowing down. Eating slowly can boost the hormones that make you feel fuller, according to Greek researchers. Put down your fork after each bite to force yourself to slow down.

article source: http://news.menshealth.com/avoid-diet-foods/2011/06/27/