Eating healthily could be as simple as ditching straws and iced water, or changing the colour of your crockery, according to a psychologist at Oxford University.

Professor Charles Spence believes it is possible to feel satisfied while consuming fewer calories with a few brain hacks which trick the mind into healthy habits.

Prof Spence, who helps Heston Blumenthal create his multisensory dining experiences, claims that enjoyment of food is largely emotional.

He suggests ramping up the aroma and texture of a meal so the brain can easily tell when it has had enough to eat. Drinking through a straw suppresses much of the smell of a drink, which can lead to overconsumption. Likewise drinking iced-water with a meal numbs the palate and can lead to eating too much.