While we all can't be considered to be emotional eaters (yes, Bridget Jones we're talking about you!), a study has found that it is the texture (the way it feels to eat) rather than the flavour that determines how satiated we are by food.

The dairy-based research experiment was conducted by Dr Cees de Graaf from the Top Institute Food and Nutrition and Wageningen University and published in the Appetite journal. The three independent studies measured the expected satisfaction levels of participants with various dairy products such as commercial custard and yoghurt of different flavours, and through different means of consumption, by a spoon or straw.

"We observed an effect of texture, but not of flavour on expected satiation in experiment two, and an effect of texture but not of means of consumption on expected satiation in experiment three," said de Graaf and her team. The findings showed that texture had not a modest but 'highly consistent' effect of satiety of dairy product.

While sensory attributes of food have been understood to be a driving factor in what whets our appetites (who hasn't got hunger pangs with just the whiff of a delicious dessert?), the findings could be important step forward in understanding what delivers on that promise and truly sates our culinary desires.