Why Eating Slowly And Loving What You Eat May Be Better Than Dieting

You finish dinner feeling completely full. Then someone opens a box of gulab jamuns or the smell of hot pakoras drifts in from the kitchen, and suddenly, you are ready to eat again.

Most people would blame "lack of self-control". For years, the popular belief around overeating has been simple: we eat too much because food tastes too good.

But a growing body of research is beginning to question that idea.

What if overeating is not actually caused by enjoying food too much? What if the bigger problem is that we have stopped truly enjoying it at all?

A recent 2025 study titled "In defense of pleasure: We need to rethink food reward and obesity" by researchers Justin J Sung and Dana M Small argues exactly that.

Hedonic hunger is triggered by things that you see, smell or feel. Photo: Unsplash

The paper suggests that pleasure itself may not be the villain behind overeating and obesity. Instead, the issue may lie in how highly processed diets disrupt the communication between the gut and the brain. The result? We stop recognising satisfaction properly and keep chasing more food.

The study argues that overeating is less about "loving food too much" and more about weakened internal signals that normally tell us when we are nourished and satisfied.

In simpler terms, the body may not be hearing itself clearly anymore.

The Difference Between Real Hunger And Hedonic Hunger

According to experts, not all hunger is the same.

Dr Arun B Shah, Director of Neurology at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, explains that there are broadly two types of hunger. One is physical hunger, when the body genuinely needs energy. The other is hedonic hunger, where people want to eat simply because food feels pleasurable.

"Hedonic hunger is triggered by things that you see, smell or feel," says Dr Shah. These triggers can include the smell of popcorn, scrolling through food videos online, stress, boredom, celebrations, or even watching other people eat.

Kowlini Mohanasundaram, Chief Dietitian, Gleneagles Hospital, Chennai, says modern life constantly exposes people to these "hedonic cues". Food advertisements, social media reels, beautifully plated meals, stress and social gatherings all activate the brain's reward system.

"We don't always eat because we are hungry. Sometimes we eat because food makes us feel good," she explains.

This idea forms the basis of the hedonic hunger theory, which suggests that people often eat for comfort, pleasure or emotional satisfaction rather than biological need.

Fauziya Ansari, Dietitian at Apollo Spectra Hospital, says hedonic cues activate the brain's reward pathways and increase cravings for highly palatable foods, especially those rich in sugar, salt and fat.

Dr Akash Chheda, Consultant Neurologist at Zynova Shalby Hospital, adds that these brain reward systems can become so powerful that people continue eating despite feeling physically full.

The Brain Always Has Room For Dessert

There is a reason why people often feel "too full" for another roti but somehow still find space for cheesecake or ice cream.

"When we eat food that we enjoy our brains release a chemical called dopamine," says Dr Shah. Dopamine is often called the brain's "feel-good" neurotransmitter because it reinforces rewarding experiences and makes people want to repeat them.

The study also discusses dopamine's role in food reward. However, the researchers argue that pleasure alone is probably not driving the obesity epidemic. In fact, the relationship between pleasure and eating may be far more complicated.

According to experts, not all hunger is the same. Photo: Unsplash

The paper points out that many ultra-processed foods linked to obesity were not necessarily rated as more pleasurable by participants in studies. Similarly, medications like GLP-1 agonists, which help reduce food intake, do not appear to work simply by reducing the enjoyment of food.

Instead, researchers believe unhealthy diets may slowly dull the body's ability to sense nutrients and fullness signals properly.

The gut and brain are constantly communicating through complex neural pathways. Normally, when nutrients are detected during digestion, signals travel through nerves to the brain, helping create feelings of satisfaction and reinforcing balanced eating patterns.

But according to the study, repeated exposure to highly processed, high-fat and high-sugar diets may weaken these signals over time.

That changes how people respond to food.

Maybe We Are Not Tasting Food Properly Anymore

One of the most interesting ideas in the study is that mindful enjoyment of food may actually improve satisfaction.

Mohanasundaram says that when people slow down, pay attention to flavours and eat without distractions like television or mobile phones, the brain receives fullness signals more effectively.

"It takes nearly 20 minutes for the brain to recognise fullness," she explains. "When we rush, we overeat before the brain catches up."

Simrat Kathuria, celebrity dietician and Nutrition Consultant with over 16 years of experience, says mindful eating can help people feel content with smaller portions because the brain has enough time to process satiety signals.

One of the most interesting ideas in the study is that mindful enjoyment of food may actually improve satisfaction. Photo: Unsplash

This does not mean every delicious food automatically leads to overeating. The study argues that true enjoyment and sensory awareness may actually support healthier eating habits.

The problem is more likely to arise when eating becomes distracted, rushed or emotionally driven.

Think about how many meals today happen while scrolling through Instagram, binge-watching a show or replying to work messages. People may finish an entire packet of chips without fully registering their taste or texture.

Experts say that disconnect matters.

How Ultra-Processed Foods May Confuse The Body

The study strongly argues that habitual consumption of unhealthy diets changes the brain and gut in ways that promote overeating.

Researchers found evidence suggesting that highly processed diets can reduce sensitivity to internal body signals linked to hunger and satisfaction. Over time, this may make less processed foods feel less rewarding while increasing impulsive eating and cravings.

Interestingly, some studies mentioned in the paper found these changes could happen even before noticeable weight gain.

In one experiment, healthy-weight individuals consumed high-fat, high-sugar snacks daily for eight weeks. Even without major weight changes, they showed decreased liking for lower-fat foods and increased responses to food cues.

This may explain why many people begin craving intensely flavoured foods more often over time. The brain gradually starts seeking stronger stimulation.

Dr Chheda says foods rich in sugar, salt and fat can overstimulate reward pathways, leading people to continue eating even after they are full.

"The brain responds to pleasure and emotional reward separately from physical hunger," he says.

Dr Shah also explains that over time, the brain begins associating certain foods with emotional comfort and reward, creating repeated eating patterns that can become difficult to interrupt.

The Truth About Binge Eating

The conversation around overeating often becomes moralistic, with people labelling themselves as "weak" or "undisciplined". But experts say binge eating is far more complex.

Mohanasundaram explains that binge eating involves consuming a very large amount of food within a short time while feeling a loss of control.

People may eat extremely quickly, continue eating despite painful fullness and feel guilt afterwards.

The conversation around overeating often becomes moralistic. Photo: Unsplash

Repeated binge eating can change how the brain responds to food. According to experts, the brain may begin seeking larger amounts of highly rewarding foods to achieve the same emotional satisfaction.

Dr Chheda says binge eating overstimulates both reward and stress systems in the brain, particularly those involving dopamine.

"Over time, the brain may start seeking large amounts of unhealthy food for the same sense of satisfaction," he explains.

Fauziya Ansari adds that constant binge eating can affect both reward and stress pathways, leading to cravings, emotional distress and unhealthy eating patterns.

Experts stress that binge eating is not simply about lacking willpower. Stress, sleep deprivation, emotional health, restrictive dieting and neurological pathways all play a role.

Why Guilt Around Food May Not Help

For decades, dieting culture has framed pleasure as the enemy. Enjoying food too much was treated almost like a character flaw.

But the newer research challenges that idea.

The study's authors argue that pleasure itself may not be causing overeating. Instead, the bigger issue could be how modern food environments disrupt natural gut-brain communication.

That distinction matters because it changes the conversation from blame to understanding.

Rather than fearing pleasure, experts increasingly recommend rebuilding awareness around eating.

That means:

• Eating slowly
• Paying attention to flavours and textures
• Avoiding distractions during meals
• Including balanced meals with protein and fibre
• Managing stress and sleep
• Allowing enjoyable foods without guilt

Mohanasundaram says eating is not just biological. "It is emotional, social, psychological, and neurological too."

And perhaps that is the paradox at the centre of this entire discussion: when people actually slow down enough to experience food properly, they may stop needing so much of it.