The consumption of beef vs. soy lunch meals on food cravings and cortico‐limbic brain regions controlling food motivation/reward in healthy adults (120.5)

Objective: To determine whether protein source, specifically comparing beef vs. soy‐rich foods, alters food cravings and neural responses controlling food motivation and reward in healthy adults. Methods: Using a randomized, crossover design, 23 healthy adults (age 23 ± 1 y; BMI: 23.4 ± 0.6 kg/m 2 ) consumed, on separate days, 400 kcal beef vs. soy‐based lunch meals that were 1) matched for macronutrient and fiber content or 2) matched for serving size (which allowed macronutrient and fiber content to vary). Pre and post‐lunch food craving questionnaires and food cue‐stimulated functional MRI (fMRI) brain scans were completed. Results: When comparing macronutrient and fiber‐matched meals, the consumption of beef tended to reduce post‐lunch cravings for sweet foods vs. soy (P=0.09) and tended to reduce hippocampal brain activation vs. soy (P=0.08). When comparing serving size‐matched meals, the consumption of beef tended to reduce post‐lunch cravings for sweet foods vs. soy (P=0.08) and reduced anterior cingulate and insular brain activation vs. soy (both, P<0.05). Conclusions: Taken together, these data suggest that protein source significantly alters the signals that control food cravings and reward with the consumption of beef‐rich foods leading to greater reductions in sweet cravings and cortico‐limbic activation in regions controlling food motivation/reward compared to soy‐rich foods. Grant Funding Source : Supported by The Beef Checkoff