Study reveals the foods that we are most likely to overeat

There are more tasty things available now than at any point in human history.  As a result, we’re all in danger of indulging a little more than is sometimes advised. Though everyone should ultimately feel free to cook and eat whatever they like as long as it makes them happy, there are still some ingredients out there that have a habit of making us do something that we eventually regret.

To help us get back control, Australian dietician Susie Burrell has revealed to the Daily Mail the foods that are most likely to prove irresistible. These sneaky snacks, while absolutely delicious, have a habit of helping us to forget just how much we’ve already eaten, to the point where you can easily end up in a food coma. To help you maintain relatively sensible eating habits, these are the foods we’re most likely to overeat.

1. Cheese

High in essential nutrients such as protein, calcium and magnesium, cheese is an extremely important part of many people’s diet. Coming in all sorts of tastes and textures, there’s a cheese out there to suit every palate. In part, that’s what helps make it so moreish. For all its nutritional value, cheese is also high in salt and fat, so is best consumed in moderation.

In order to monitor your cheese intake, Burrell recommends snacking on lower fat white cheeses, such as feta and goats cheese, whilst saving richer alternatives like brie, camembert and haloumi for special occasions. Though it’s absolutely fine to eat cheese every day, being aware of different contents of each variety might prove useful.

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2. Cake

Nothing is as synonymous with celebration as cake. Whenever there is an office party, a leaving drinks or a birthday, the chances are that slices will be handed out like there’s no tomorrow. It is for this reason that we are all likely to eat more cake than we are any other dessert.

As a way to avoid the daily cake ritual Burrell suggests preparing recipes for slightly less fatty but equally delicious alternatives, such as macarons and friands, in order to curb our more indulgent habits.

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3. Chocolate

As the go-to sweet treat for many, it’s small wonder that chocolate is high up the list of foodie over indulgence. Given that most chocolate contains nothing other than fat and sugar, its lack of nutrients makes it especially dangerous to overeat.

Burrell’s advice is to stick to buying smaller bars so that you don’t end up accidentally eating massive portions all in one go and to opt for natural dark chocolates, which are more likely to contain chemicals such as phosphorus and magnesium.

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4. Biscuits

A staple of any serious office, Britain basically runs on biscuits. Though an essential part of the working day, what makes them so troublesome is our capacity to consume them mindlessly over several hours and end up accidentally eating an entire packet.

An effective way to monitor your biscuit habit is to bring in your own homemade varieties – which will almost always be healthier than shop bought. Another alternative is to choose lighter types such as biscotti.

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Of course, whether you want to eat chocolate and cheese is entirely up to you, and you should never ever feel bad for enjoying your favourite foods. But it’s also good to have an awareness of when you might be at risk of indulging a little too much. In order to be as healthy as possible, trying to keep a balance is easily your best bet.