New York, July 3 (IANS): Being a little experimental with one's eating habits could prove to be a surefire recipe to losing weight rather than sticking to healthy food on a daily basis, suggests a new research.

Counterintuitive as it may sound, researchers have found that adventurous eaters, known as "foodies", weigh less and may be healthier than their less-adventurous counterparts.

The study, involving over 500 women across the US, showed that those who had eaten the widest variety of uncommon foods -- including seitan, beef tongue, Kimchi, rabbit, and polenta -- also rated themselves as healthier eaters, more physically active and more concerned with the healthiness of their food when compared with less-adventurous eaters.

"These findings are important to dieters because they show that promoting adventurous eating may provide a way for people -- especially women -- to lose or maintain weight without feeling restricted by a strict diet," said study co-author Brian Wansink, author of the book "Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life".

"They also reported being much more likely to have friends over for dinner," said lead author Lara Latimer from the University of Texas.

The article was published in the journal Obesity.