We all know how hard it can be to say no to a comforting glass of red wine, especially during the colder months.
But according to a study, the key to cutting down on alcohol consumption could be taking a trip down memory lane.
Experts have found that calculating the number of calories you consumed during your last drinking session can reduce your cravings.
But so far the effect has only been recorded in women.
Previous research has shown that people do not eat as much if they are reminded of a previous meal just before eating.
A team from the University of Portsmouth wanted to further investigate the relationship between memory and consumption, but with alcohol.
Their study involved 50 women aged 18 to 46, who were randomly divided into two groups.
The first group was asked to recall a recent alcohol experience in detail, including guessing how many calories they had consumed.
We all know how hard it can be to say no to a comforting glass of red wine, especially during the colder months. But the key to drinking less alcohol could lie in a trip down memory lane, according to a study (stock image)
For example, three medium glasses of red wine would provide almost 400 calories, while three pints of pale ale would provide 540 calories.
The second group, the control group, was simply asked to remember a car ride.
Participants were then asked to consume a vodka-based drink, at a pace that felt comfortable to them, while watching a mood-neutral TV program to distract them from any suspicion that their consumption rate was being recorded.
Analysis found that individuals who were asked to recall a previous drinking episode took longer to consume the alcoholic beverage.
According to the researchers, this suggests a lower motivation for alcohol.
Dr. Lorenzo Stafford, one of the study’s authors, said: ‘Following previous work, we think that an important part of the observed effect was that individuals in the alcohol memory cue condition had to estimate the number of alcohol calories they consumed.
‘Our theory is that women may have a lower need for alcohol because they want to avoid excess calories, which could also be linked to work showing that women are more likely to change their consumption habits because they are more receptive to the risks that alcohol poses brings. health and weight.’
It is estimated that over a quarter of drinkers in England drink more than the recommended 14 units per week.
The article, published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, recommends further research to help understand the alcohol memory effect in men, especially as they typically consume more alcohol than women.
In two related studies, the same team found that strong health warnings on alcohol products also reduced alcohol cravings and slowed drinking behavior.