A common recommendation for people who are trying to lose weight is to take more time while eating -- put your fork down in between each bite, chew slowly, and really taste and enjoy your food. It looks like that recommendation was spot on.

Recent research has found that many overweight people find fatty or sugary food less enjoyable than thin people do. Subsequently, those overweight people may eat more of those less-than-healthy foods in order to satisfy themselves. Women who had fewer dopamine receptors in the "pleasure center" of their brain seemed to eat more in order to trigger a pleasurable response, whereas women with more dopamine receptors could experience the pleasure with less food.

Food is meant to be enjoyed, but not to the point that it goes beyond your body's needs for energy and sustenance. Take your time with your food. Relish each bite and enjoy it. When you give your body more time to experience the taste, you'll find you eat less overall.

[via FitSugar]