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    Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food
    Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food
    Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food
    Audiobook9 hours

    Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food

    Written by Rachel Herz, PhD

    Narrated by Jo Anna Perrin

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Why You Eat What You Eat examines the sensory, psychological, neuroscientific, and physiological factors that influence our eating habits. Rachel Herz uncovers the fascinating and surprising facts that affect food consumption: bringing reusable bags to the grocery store encourages us to buy more treats; our beliefs about food affect the number of calories we burn; TV alters how much we eat; and what we see and hear changes how food tastes. Herz reveals useful techniques for managing cravings, such as resisting repeated trips to the buffet table, and how aromas can be used to curb overeating. Why You Eat What You Eat mixes the social with the scientific to uncover how psychology, neurology, and physiology shape our relationship with food and how food alters the relationships we have with ourselves and with one another.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHighbridge Company
    Release dateDec 26, 2017
    ISBN9781681688749
    Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food

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    Reviews for Why You Eat What You Eat

    4/5

    38 ratings9 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Interesting book packed full with fascinating facts but still very accessible
    • 5/5
      The more I learn, the more I unlearn the knowledge before this. The complexity of human body is no joke.
    • 3/5
      Subtitled "The Science behind our Relationship with Food", this book explains the psychology of eating. I found a lot of it was the same information from Mary Roach's book, "Gulp" and hers was more entertaining. So I admit to skimming this book but it does contain interesting and informative information on how the senses inform what we like and dislike about certain foods.
    • 5/5
      5.0 out of 5 stars"Our senses, mind, and environment are woven into our experience of eating."
      By booklover10 on December 26, 2017
      Format: Hardcover
      Rachel Herz, the author of "Why You Eat What You Eat," is a sensory and cognitive neuroscientist whose area of interest is neurogastronomy, the science that explores how the brain affects food choices. Herz points out that our genetic makeup, senses, and surroundings have a great deal to do with what we choose to eat and also how much we ingest. For example, when someone loses his sense of smell (a condition known as "anosmia"), his ability to enjoy meals will be affected adversely for the rest of his life. Herz cites a case of someone who suffered from anosmia and gained hundreds of pounds, because "without a sense of smell it is difficult to achieve a feeling of food satisfaction and fullness."

      The author cites dozens of studies that shed light on our eating habits. Did you know that the color, shape, and size of your plate; visual illusions; slick advertising; background music; the people with whom you dine; your sleep routines; and a host of other factors influence what you eat? Herz points out how subtle stimuli can sabotage even the most conscientious and motivated dieter. On the flip side, Herz analyzes how the foods we eat alter "our physiology, mood, and behavior."

      "Why You Eat What You Eat" will appeal to scientifically minded individuals who enjoy technical writing, detailed descriptions of how our bodies work, and accounts of experiments designed to shed light on a complex subject. A look at the endnotes and detailed index will give you an idea of the extensive research that went into this well-organized and enlightening book. To jump-start your efforts to slim down, Herz suggests a number of strategies that might help, among them meditation and mindful eating. Why does "Why You Eat What You Eat" matter? "If current trends continue, half of the American population will be obese by 2030."
    • 5/5
      This is a very informative book. I felt like the first half was better organized than the second, since it focused on very narrow topics in detail. Things like are 5 individual senses and the big for flavors, as well as some lesser known flavors like umami. I had never thought about how important our sense of smell is. It is among our most primative and first developed senses. Babies who were breastfed arent typically picky eaters, since whatever their mom preferred they tend to develop a liking for as well. Well worth the time listening and I may even go back a read the text version as well. There are just too many interesting tidbits of food psychology here to absorb the first time around.
    • 2/5
      Thank Goodness it is done. Long , boring, and half of what was written can be found on the web. Save your time, and skip this book.
    • 3/5
      The book covers a lot of information on the psychology of eating. The book contains conclusions from many limited studies. The book is interesting but not highly valuable.
    • 4/5
      Information packed account for the general reader on the latest in the neuroscience of the senses and food consumption.The author is able to reference numerous academic studies in an engaging and accessible manner. Especially of interest was the examination of the relation between ethical foods and the feeling of moral superiority. Great read for anyone that eats.
    • 5/5
      The term ‘page turner’ is often used to describe a thriller; but in this case, I think that the term adequately describes “Why You Eat What You Eat”. Every page contained a nugget of information gathered from various universities’ social experiments. Food taste, texture, and smell are the determinants that come to mind when deciding what food to eat. But not as clear is the influence that experience, psychology, culture, and memory have on our food eating decisions. These and other proffered factors are greater food eating determinants than the first three primary factors mentioned. Indeed, these other factors program our reaction to the primary determinants. So, a page-turner? Yes! Every page read passed on new knowledge about eating decision-making.In addition to drivers that shape our eating desires, the author, Doctor Rachel Herz, remarks on the influences that turn us off to eating. This isn’t a diet book, but finding ways to take advantage of eating turnoff factors will help dieters resist acting on their food cravings. These turn off drivers can be used to replace self-forbidden eating delicacies with the propulsion to eat healthier and less. My only criticism of this book is that the author did not spend more time addressing this subject.It was interesting to note how important our early childhood was to shaping our approach to eating. Taste preferences begin in the womb base on our mother’s diet during pregnancy and continue developing based on the variety of foods offered us during infancy and toddlerhood. Scientific evidence indicates that early childhood preferences, and the experiences enjoyed during that period, are easily recalled later in life with just the odor of an early childhood favored food. I certainly can relate to this based on my experience with certain ‘comfort’ foods and others may have had similar experiences.The food knowledge this book provided helped me understand my eating preferences. It also provided me with food eating trivia to share at family gatherings. Shared in a way to avoid singling people out or causing embarrassment, this shared knowledge helped share my new-found knowledge on ‘why we eat what we eat’.Understanding food eating motivators is the primary benefit received from reading this book. I am now more aware of what drives me to eat certain foods and more attuned to my feeling of fullness. This new awareness has helped me deal with my overeating tendencies.