Having cocktails before dinner may lead to more eating. A small study found that mild intoxication (from the equivalent of about two glasses of wine) resulted in a greater response to food aromas in the hypothalamus –an area of the brain linked to hunger, eating and satiety. Participants who had alcohol ate significantly more than when not under alcohol’s influence.
David A. Kareken, PhD, professor of neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
