The Flavour Point diet: Hollywood's slimming secrets

Isn't flavour the most important component of food? The Flavour Point Diet, developed by Dr David Katz, takes this principle further by supposing there is a mind-body connection that controls eating, with flavour being the focal point. If the flavours present in meals determine how much of the food will be consumed, the theory goes that too many different flavours will lead to over-stimulation of the brain and cause overeating.

Who's a fan? Demi Moore has been swayed by the theory that you can eat less and feel satisfied, while Victoria's Secrets model Petra Nemcova uses this diet when she needs to shape up for a show.

What's hot about it: Dr Katz has created a six-week plan for diet and exercise to help you gain better control over your eating habits and lose weight in the process. By imposing a few restrictions and recommending frequent meals with similar flavour ‘themes' you can enjoy a balanced diet of numerous fresh and whole foods, while limiting your tendency or desire to overeat.

What you can eat: The six-week diet has three main phases. Phase One (for the first four weeks) is designed to soothe cravings from appetite centres in the brain, by using a delicate flavour theme each day such as pineapple, lemon, peach, thyme and mint. Phase Two (for the following fortnight) has greater variety but each meal, as opposed to each day, has a flavour theme and dieters are reminded not to combine sweet and savoury flavours at meals.

The final phase involves including flavour management in all your food choices, choosing wholesome food and banishing trans fats and refined sugars.

Can I indulge? After three weeks on the diet, you are allowed to include two ‘indulgent flavour days' when coconut and chocolate are available. Yum!