Why your first bite is always the tastiest

That very first freshly fried French fry coated with a dab of tangy Belgian mayonnaise always has an advantage over the fifty copies that follow. Just like that first piece of bread, handful of chips or piece Tony’s. No girlfriend, it's not you; there is an explanation for this phenomenon.

Rachel Herz, a lecturer in neuroscience at a university in Boston and author of the book ‘Why You Eat What You Eat’ explains that you quickly get tired of flavors, which is why the first bite always tastes better than the rest. A first bite is new, you feel and taste everything AND you are aware of the aromas. Once you keep eating the same thing, our taste buds get used to the flavors and you no longer experience the same feeling you get with the first bite.

Mentally, you start to crave something new extremely quickly, long before you have filled your stomach. And that’s where the problem arises with a seven-course dinner or even worse: a buffet. When there are a thousand trays, bowls, and plates full of goodies in front of you, you are more likely to serve yourself more and thus eat more.

According to Rachel, you can also use this tactic to lose some pounds. Addicted to nachos mountains of cheese? Try eating it three times a day. You will see that your plate remains fuller at the end of the meal and you will therefore consume fewer calories than normal. After a while, your addiction becomes boring and eventually the dish even becomes unappealing to eat. If your daily meal consisted only of nachos (or fries, pizza, or pasta), you would lose weight over time. Well, if I stuff myself with a liter of vodka tonight, I also won’t need to touch the bottle for a week. So I’ll let this hype pass me by.