Do you think you're a foodie? How could this food bucket list make you slimmer?

Eating the same kinds of foods and meals each week gets a little boring and if you've ever put yourself on a restricted diet in order to lose weight, you'll know that it's a battle which sometimes causes more problems in the long run. A study published this month, shows that being a 'foodie' has an impact on a woman's weight and their lifestyle. Find out what it means to be a foodie and the benefits of being more adventurous in your diet.

In a time when there is rising obesity in the Western world, researchers from the Cornell Food and Brand lab in the USA thought it was important to question if it had anything to do with the fact that people are eating more exotic foods than ever and a growth in the 'foodie' culture. The survey asked over 500 hundred women from the US questions about their perceived healthiness, lifestyle, psychology and about the foods which they have eaten or would be willing to try. The research was designed to find out, how being more adventurous when it comes to food, might be related to Body Mass Index - a number based on weight and height and is used as a tool to decide if your weight is putting you at risk of health problems.

The food Bucket List

To find out if you're a foodie, which of the following foods would you be willing to try or eat more than once?

• Kale
• Seitan
• Quinoa
• Seaweed
• Bean sprouts
• Beef tongue
• Eel
• Quail eggs
• Rabbit
• Kimchi
• Tempeh
• Venison
• Polenta
• Liver
• Raw oysters
• Pork belly

Selecting more than nine of these defines you as an adventurous eater, for this study. Typically the two different types of women, adventurous and non adventurous eaters identified from this question, also showed similarities in personality and lifestyle traits. 

Adventurous eaters are more likely to:

Have friends over for dinner

Have an interest in exploring their culinary heritage

Enjoy trying new things in general

Non adventurous are more likely to:

Be influenced by whether or not a celebrity endorses the food

Care about nice packaging

Want food to be easy to prepare

Why should would we want to complete this food Bucket List?

We all know that having variety in our diet is beneficial to help us function properly, but importantly in this case, the 'non adventurous eaters' in this survey, typically had a higher BMI. This put them at more risk of health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. The 'adventurous eater' who appeared to have a more positive and fun approach eating and healthier relationship with food rather than restricting and managed to maintain a healthy weight. The profiled character traits could also be used to encourage less adventurous eaters to experiment more in their diet - especially the part about nice packaging and celebrity endorsement of healthy food. Many people just love to try the favourite foods of their smoking hot idol if they claim it helps them to look awesome so maybe this is something we will see more of in the future!

I've checked off eating seven of the uncommon things on this foodie list and I'd definitely be willing to try more, however I'm pretty sure I would pass on trying eel! Do you qualify as an adventurous eater from the foodie list and what thing are on your personal food bucket list to try eating in your lifetime? I'd love to know!