By Briana Hayes
Staff Writer

It has been said that a picture is worth 1,000 words. It can also be true that a picture is worth 1,000 calories.

Human beings’ strongest sense is sight. We judge everything by what we see. So when you suddenly are overcome with a food craving, the picture of the food you want–whether it be a chocolate cake or a juicy hamburger–appears in your mind. Once it comes to your mind, it is hard to let go.

Food cravings have the ability to be powerful. This is because the typical food cravings deal with sugar, fat, and salt, or sometimes all three. This combination is an almost addictive trait due to the fact that it works on the reward center of the brain.

Restaurants, especially fast food chains, exploit the sense of sight and this flavor combination every day. When a commercial comes on advertising food, the company or restaurant that is selling their food makes sure that their food is appealing.

They highlight the colors and the texture and even the temperature. When you see that hamburger, you want it.

Sometimes the food they display is not even what their food truly looks like. However, companies know what consumers want and they know how to make them want it.

When that food imagery comes to your mind there are certain images that you can replace them with to avoid eating unhealthy foods.

Strong images work well and usually images that relax a person work better. Imagine a babbling stream or something motivating.

The same idea of visual imagery can be applied to healthy foods. When you eat from a plate, imagery works in a way that you can separate your plate based on vegetables, whole grains, proteins, fruits, and dairy. When your plate is put into compartments, you can better grasp what you are eating because you can see it all.

The visual part of the brain can process the texture, color, and other characteristics of the food you are eating. This means that healthy food can be processed in order to be appealing as well.

If you are thinking about what you want to eat, Google pictures of a new healthy recipe you haven’t tried yet. The image of the food will inspire you to make it. It will allow you to picture the food more clearly and you are more likely to cook it.

Healthy foods, just like a scrumptious chocolate cake, can have appealing characteristics as well. For example, think of the crunch of an apple and the bright red color.

These senses will allow you to think of an apple as satisfying just as you would the chocolate cake.

Sometimes food cravings come and you can’t help it. A visual image of a food can create a desire for that particular food, but just remember that healthy food can be delicious too and picture your next healthy meal.

Focus on the bright colors of vegetables and the crunchy texture of fruits and soon enough images of veggies will dance in your head.