If you’re thinking about dropping a few pounds, it turns out walnuts might be an effective food in helping you control your cravings. A recent study showed that eating walnuts curbed participant’s appetites when they were shown “highly desirable” foods. The study, published in Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, separated participants, all adults with BMIs considered obese, into two groups. One group was given smoothies containing 14 walnut halves, while the other half was given  smoothies with a placebo — one that replicated the taste, texture and calorie content of real walnuts. After drinking their assigned smoothies for five days, the participants were then asked to look at photos of high-fat foods like onion rings, low-fat foods like fresh fruits, and non-food related images like flowers for MRI testing. The participants were then set back on their normal diets for a month, before returning to the study and repeating the five-day walnut smoothie…