Crave less

If the word 'crave' was associated with fruits and vegetables, everyone would be healthier. But no, we crave cookies, candy, chips, ice cream, soda -- the junk.

Scientists know cravings are a mental thing, and research has identified a few creative ways to crave less or feel satiated on less. MSNBC shares eight research-based ways to crave less -- I've heard of a few, but these three are new to me:

• Satisfying a craving does not mean weight gain: A new, small study found women who ate decadent, portion-controlled bites of desired foods still lost weight.
• Visuals distract: Thinking of a bowl of Skittles? Jump on the computer and click on brightly-colored photos or open a magazine and look at the pictures. Alternate visuals diminish craves -- just hope you don't flip past a candy ad!
• Sniff mint, lose nearly a pound: Research has shown inhaling peppermint scent can empower you to walk away from afternoon cravings. In this study, periodic, daily mint-sniffers ate 3,000 fewer calories per week.