When we talk about weight gain, we're usually worried about what goes IN your mouth, not the words that come out of it . . .
But according to a recent study in the U.K., just using the word "snack" might make you eat more than if you called it a small meal instead.
Two groups of women were given the same amount of pasta. One group ate it while sitting at a table. So it was more like a meal. The other group was told they were eating a, quote, "snack," and had to eat out of a plastic bowl while standing up. So it was the same amount of food, but felt more like a snack.
Then later on, the researchers put some sweets out, and let them eat as much as they wanted. And the "snack" eaters consumed TWICE as many sweets.
In other words, just calling it a snack instead of a meal made them feel like they hadn't eaten very much. So they thought they could overindulge on dessert.
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