Something Strange Happened Last Night

Last night, something odd happened. I'd just finished my three day OSE fast and even extended it by a day, feeling completely satisfied, yet I found myself drawn to our snack drawer. I picked up a pack of crisps, and for a moment, I almost opened them.

Here's the thing, I wasn't hungry. My body was perfectly fuelled. So what was pulling me towards those crisps?

The answer is something called dynamic contrast. Your brain is hardwired to seek diversity in sensory experiences. It craves transitions: warm to cold, soft to hard, smooth to crunchy. This is ancient programming that kept our ancestors exploring different food sources for varied nutrients.

The food industry knows this. They've engineered products that deliver maximum dynamic contrast. Think about an Oreo: the snap of the biscuit, the soft cream centre, the texture change as you bite through. Or crisps: the explosive crunch, the melt on your tongue, the salt burst. These aren't accidents, they're deliberately designed to hijack your brain's natural drive for sensory variety.

I've written extensively about the bliss point and hedonic pleasure in ultra processed foods. But dynamic contrast is the secret weapon you rarely hear about. It's why you can feel full yet still reach for that snack.

The solution? I put the crisps down and grabbed a pack of nuts instead. The crunchiness satisfied what my brain was actually seeking. Same dynamic contrast, none of the manipulation.

Your action today: Next time you're drawn to a snack when you're not hungry, ask yourself if you're craving the texture rather than the food itself. Find a real food alternative that delivers that same sensory experience.