How can you trick your brain into eating less?
怎樣能騙大腦吃少一點？
To investigate this claim, I've invited these gentlemen for some lunch. I told them to eat until they feel full. Ready, boys? Dig in.
為了研究此一說法，我邀請了這些男士過來午餐。我跟他們說吃到感覺飽為止。男孩們，準備好了嗎？開動。
This tomato soup experiment seems a bit basic. But it's all about how perception affects your appetite—that and something a little more...underhanded.
這項番茄湯實驗看起來有點基本。不過這全是關於感知如何影響你的食慾－－那以及某件比較有點...狡猾的事。
These guys think they're in an experiment about how much we eat; what they don't know is that we rigged one of the bowls of tomato soup to continually refill as they eat. Sorry, Sisyphus. That soup is just gonna keep coming, no matter how much you shovel in. So, how can you trick your brain into eating less?
這些人以為他們是在參加一場測試食量的實驗；他們所不知道的是，我們對其中一個番茄湯碗動了手腳，讓碗在他們吃時會不斷重新填滿。抱歉啦，薛西佛斯，這只是做白工(註一)。那湯只會不停地來，不管你吞進多少。所以，怎樣才能騙大腦吃少一點呢？
All right, guys. How are we holding up?
好了，大夥們。還好吧？
I'm done.
我喝完了。
Yeah?
是嗎？
I don't know what's going on here, but...
我不知道這是怎麼了，不過...
Well, you were eating out of this, but you—have a little surprise for you—you were eating out of this. Yeah. So, it may sound silly, but tricking your eyes can actually trick your brain and then your stomach. So, it looks like you probably ate about twice as much soup as he did.
這個嘛，你是從這個碗吃，但你－－有個小驚喜給你－－你是從這個吃的。沒錯。這可能聽起來很蠢，不過欺騙你的眼睛事實上能唬過你的大腦然後你的胃。所以，看起來你可能喝下他大概兩倍份量的湯。
I feel like it.
我覺得也是那樣。
So, what does this experiment have to do with eating less?
那麼，這實驗和吃少一點有什麼關連呢？
When we eat, our intestines release cholecystokinin, or CCK, a hormone that helps in the digestion of fat. Fat cells in turn release the hormone leptin, which is associated with long-term feelings of satiation. Researchers at Harvard University theorize that the CCK amplifies the leptin, which tells our brainstems we are full. The problem is it takes time for this hormonal cocktail to finish mixing, so we tend to keep eating before we realize we're full.
當我們吃東西時，我們的腸道釋放膽囊收縮素，或稱 CCK，一種幫助消化脂肪的荷爾蒙。脂肪細胞接著釋出荷爾蒙瘦體素，那和長時間的飽足感有關。哈佛大學研究員推論，CCK 會增強瘦體素，那告訴我們的腦幹我們吃飽了。問題是，那「荷爾蒙雞尾酒」需要時間來完成調和，所以在我們知道自己吃飽前，我們往往一直吃下去。
That's why we've come to rely on our eyes to tell us when to stop, and why we say things like, "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach"—problem being, of course, that looks can be deceiving. Take these two plates, which one has more food? The answer? Neither. They're the exact same meal. The plate on the right just seems to have more food because it's on a smaller plate. This is called the Delboeuf illusion.
那就是為什麼我們會依賴眼睛來告訴我們何時該停，以及我們為什麼會說些像是「眼饞肚飽」的話－－當然，問題是外表可能騙人。拿這兩盤來說，哪一盤有比較多食物？答案是？都沒有。它們是完全相同的餐點。右邊那盤只是因為放在比較小的盤子上才看起來有比較多食物。這叫「德勃夫大小錯覺」。
When an object is surrounded by a smaller circle, it looks bigger; when it's surrounded by a bigger circle, it looks smaller. This illusion can be seen right on your dinner plate. The bigger the plate you give a person, the more food they'll put on it, which means the more they'll eat.
當一件物品被一個較小的圓包圍時，它看起來比較大；當被一個大些的圓包圍時，它看起來比較小。這錯覺在你的餐盤上正可看見。你給一個人的盤子越大，他們就會裝越多食物在上面，那就表示他們會吃越多。
One study found that folks who dine from the never-ending soup bowl ate a whopping 73 percent more before feeling full. So how can you trick your brain into eating less? Be careful how your dinner is served.
一項研究發現從一個聚寶盆湯碗吃東西的人，他們在感到飽足前吃下的量會大量多出百分之七十三。所以你要怎樣才能騙大腦吃少一點呢？注意你的餐點呈上的方式。
One way to cut calories that's really simple is just put your food on a smaller plate. I also recommend that the next time I invite you over for tomato soup, you, uh, just say no.
一個削減熱量的超簡單方法是就把你的食物放在比較小的盤子上。我也建議下次我邀你們來喝番茄湯時，呃...你們就說不要吧。
註：Sisyphus 為希臘神話中的人物，因惹惱眾神而被罰要把一塊大石頭推上山頂，但大石頭不斷掉下山谷，因此他永遠無法完成任務。
- 「開始吃、開動」- Dig In
Ready, boys? Dig in.
男孩們，準備好了嗎？開動。 - 「依賴、依靠」- Rely On
That's why we've come to rely on our eyes to tell us when to stop...
那就是為什麼我們會依賴眼睛來告訴我們何時該停...
