You’ve probably heard people saying ‘you are what you eat’ but it turns out that what and how you eat can reveal more about you than you might think. Food behavior experts and psychiatrists have studied how certain foods lead to certain personality traits. Click on to find out more…

Food behavior expert Juliet A. Boghossian suggests that being a slow eater indicates a desire to ‘live in the moment’. Slow eaters are also apparently likely to be big fans of routine... and stubborn.

According to Boghossian, people who gobble up their food in no time are good multi-taskers and work well to deadlines. Fast eaters are apparently less likely to be selfish and likelier to put others before themselves and their needs.

Those who adopt the eating speed of their dining companions demonstrate how adaptable they are in life. These people are people pleasers, love to chat and always willing to help both strangers and friends alike. However, just like the fast eater, the adaptable eater may occasionally put others first to the detriment of themselves.

Order is important to a person who separates the different food items on their plates. Organized eaters have clean houses and workspaces and like to do everything for themselves – shared responsibility may lead to something not being done the way they want it to be.

As well as organizing their plate, a different study found that people who designate the same amount of space on their plate to each food stuff are disciplined and know how to get what they want.

For Boghossian, people who bat wandering hands away from their precious food or choose to eat alone are likely to be neat, clean and tidy at home. People who keep food to themselves are also excellent taskmasters.

If you only eat one food on your plate at a time, you have a keen eye for detail. Isolationist eaters are very often set in their ways and struggle with change in their lives or with daily tasks. If you siphon off your food Boghossian suggests that this is a sign that you are capable of prioritizing things well.

Conversely, eating all the food on your plate at once and mixing the meal up suggests an inability to prioritize and keep commitments in order. Mixers are said to be experimental and open to trying new things, which could be why mixers are often leaders.

Picky eaters enjoy their comfort zone and will do whatever it takes to remain there – even if it means constantly asking questions about something. Research and food behavior experts say that picky eaters are very curious, even despite their unwillingness to try new cuisines.

Some say that being picky and being cautious are slightly different. Cautious eaters will only eat the same and usually plain foods and are even less likely than picky eaters to try something new with their staple food (eg a new pasta sauce). This trait suggests stubbornness and borders on being over-organized.

By contrast, somebody who will turn their taste pallet to anything are risk-takers in life. Often unique and loud, the adventurous type needs to be careful not to upset any picky friends, according to Boghossian.

Just like the adventurous among us, the diner questioning the waiting staff on the origins of the food or the daily specials is an open-minded and creative person.

Research suggests that one who orders without looking at the menu shies away from accepting change and difference. This may disadvantage the diner as they seem unwilling to deviate from their norm, even if they can.

Boghossian suggests that people who cut their meal up ready for eating demonstrate their ability to plan ahead and stay ahead. These diners differ from slow eaters who are living in the moment and may not be able to enjoy the present because of a wish list they have for the future.

The friend with the sweet tooth is the one you can count on when times get tough. Past research has suggested those who love candy and chocolate are calm, good natured and always there to listen to friends, helping if they can.

The friend with the penchant for salt with tell you exactly what they’re thinking. It has been suggested that those who like to binge on salty snacks aren’t afraid to speak their mind and voice their opinions loudly.

Those snacking on bitter foods (eg bitter melon) are said to have a generally negative opinion the first time they meet somebody and this may lead to them not making new friends easily.

And the spice-loving friend is prone to snapping at only a moment’s notice. Yet despite their changeable personality, a spice fan friend will always be there for you. Those with spicy taste buds are thrill seekers, a sensation evoked by the texture and heat of, say, a chili according to research led by Penn State University’s Nadia Byrnes.

Truly a case of ‘you are what you eat’. Research articles say this person is likely to have more than a sour taste in their mouth. Although innocent really, lovers of sour food supposedly find little joy in situations.

Keeping all your food to yourself shows a selfish and stingy side, according to studies. However, if your dining companion is open minded, not sharing for the sake of sharing or the ‘norm’ demonstrates independent thinking.

According to psychiatrist and neurologist Dr Alan Hirsch, snack foods can tell us a lot about a personality as well. Potato chip lovers are likely to be competitive and successful business people. The chip gorger is likely to become frustrated easily too.

Like potato chip fans, tortilla chip fans are well disciplined and are likely to be perfectionists in every aspect of their lives. You can depend on the friend with their hand in the tortilla chip bag and their organized self will always be behind you.

We’re not talking about carnivores in general here. Dr Alan Hirsch maintains that those who snack on meat-based treats such as pork rind are the loyalist people you will ever meet.

The cracker snacker is shy, thoughtful and often spends time contemplating life, according to Dr Hirsch’s work. They value alone time and this is when they get most of their creative thinking done – and all while munching on a cracker.

Dr Hirsch concluded that although pretzels may be boring (we think not), people who binge on them are far from it. Pretzel fans are lively and energetic always dressed up and ready to party.

The last snacker character type Dr Hirsch identified was the cheese curl fanatic. He concluded that those partial to the glowing orange snack held high levels of integrity and enjoy walking along the moral high ground. Also, these people are likely to be romantic and treat all people with respect regardless of their job, age or class.

Weight loss firm LighterLife found that people who snack in secret are in touch with their emotions.

A study published in the Appetite journal found that diners with an extrovert personality are drawn towards sugary snacks, fatty snacks and savory food. This was linked to an active social life and engaging in group activities likely to lead to the consumption of such food and drink. The study concluded that extroverts have trouble saying no to alcohol, sweet treats and animal fat in particular.

If you steal food off your partner’s plate while they aren’t looking (or maybe even when they are) then this demonstrates that you have a sense of entitlement. According to Cosmopolitan, food stealers have close and loving relationships but also may have issues with boundaries.