Chew This, Crush Cravings

You could crush that 3 p.m. cookie craving just by chewing a little of this: gum. That’s right. Chewing gum can really put the kibosh on your afternoon appetite.

People who chew either sweetened or sugar-free gum after lunch (please, choose sugar-free for your gums’ sake) feel full longer, eat fewer afternoon snacks, and have fewer hunger pangs and fewer cravings for sweets than people who don't chew gum. (And, of course, people who chew sugar-free gum also have more teeth left to talk with.)

How does chomping gum suppress hunger? It';s simple, at least in theory. When you eat, your taste buds are stimulated by food. But the more food you eat, the less you notice how good it tastes. That helps signal your brain that you're full, so cravings go away. Chewing gum may have the same effect -- but without all the calories!

Of course, eventually, you have to eat. Just reach for sensible meals, not all the Pop-Tarts in the package or all the Cheetos in the vending machine. Skipping meals increases cravings for sweet and salty foods (as in chocolate and chips) but not bitter -- and healthy -- ones (like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and other veggies).

Make the gum trick work even better by thinking about how much food you’ve already eaten today. This little mind trick may nix cravings. Still think you want cookies? Grab a glass of water and drink it down; your thirst may be masquerading as hunger.