Most of us have probably experienced this phenomenon: If you’re really thirsty, you’ll probably be okay with drinking water. But once your thirst is quenched, you may have a hankering to sip on a sweetened beverage instead. Or maybe you’ll eat a healthy dinner if you’re hungry, but later you might want to snack on some chips.
A group of scientists started to wonder what might happen if we could figure out what’s going on in the brain when our needs switch to unhealthy cravings, and how we might apply this knowledge for what could truly be life-changing, or even life-saving results.
They were able to locate the area of the brain that controls these signals. With that knowledge, they successfully manipulated brainwaves of rats to make them continue to prefer healthier food and drink choices (yes, rats usually prefer junk food, too!). This technology could be used to fight things like eating issues and addictions in humans.
Read on to learn more about how we may actually be able to beat temptation when it comes to food, drinks, and other choices.
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