Wish you had more willpower when dining out? Nonverbally ordering your food may help you choose healthier options, suggests new Dutch research.
In one experiment, scientists approached people in a restaurant and offered them a free dessert: either fruit salad or chocolate mousse. Half of the diners were asked which dessert they wanted, while the other half pressed buttons to indicate their preferences.
Several subsequent experiments found a similar effect: People made healthier choices when they pressed buttons on vending machines, wrote their orders down, or simply grabbed the food themselves than when they ordered aloud.
Why? Using your hands when you order activates a part of your brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is also involved with impulse control, says study author Anne-Kathrin Klesse, Ph.D.
Source: Men’s Health