Put down the ketchup. Set aside that pickled relish. And leave the sauces and salsas in the fridge.

New research suggests that by leaving your condiments in the cupboard, you could end up eating drastically less, overall.

Can the Condiments
In a small study of college students, dressing up fries with ketchup and brownies with a topping caused the nibblers to eat from 25 to 40 percent more of these waist-padding foods. But the theory behind the additional bites isn't just that a few extras make food taste better. The extras actually increase the amount of time it takes for your palate to get tired of the taste of a particular food. So you end up eating more, regardless of whether you're hungry or full. Eat this type of fat to stop hunger in its tracks.

Keep It Simple
In fact, a good strategy for curbing overeating is to minimize variety in meals. Focus on a few fresh flavors, not every side dish under the sun. YOU Docs Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen even recommend eating the same thing for lunch every day. And try these additional appetite-busting strategies:

• Keep your mind on your food. Here's how paying attention to your food -- and only your food -- will help you eat less of it.
• Diversify your workout. Here's an exercise combo that can curb appetite in a big way.
• Overindulge in fiber. Try this root vegetable that's especially high in appetite-controlling fiber.

Check out these 10 additional ways to outsmart your appetite.

Variety enhances food intake in humans: role of sensory-specific satiety. Brondel, L. et al., Physiology & Behavior 2009 Apr 20;97(1):44-51.