Foodies are labeled according to their hobby for eating, well, food. But not just any food — foodies acquire their recreational appreciation for eating through a wide variety of foods, and a new study reveals it doesn’t necessarily make them fat. Researchers from Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab surveyed the nation in search for foodies to learn about their particular eating patterns. Their findings appear in the journal Obesity.

Cornell researchers asked 502 American women about their eating habits, activity levels, interests, and body mass index (BMI). It turns out, those who had eaten the widest variety of eccentric foods, from beef tongue to kimchi, also reported high levels of physical activity, love for cooking, interest in nutrition and health, and arguably the most compelling finding, had the lowest BMIs. That’s right. Those who had the greatest vested interest in food were also those within the normal healthy weight range.

"They also reported being much more likely to have friends over for dinner," the study’s lead author Dr. Lara Latimer, former researcher at the Food and Brand Lab and now at the University of Texas, said in a press release.

And if their friends can’t make it to dinner, foodies are known for uploading their dishes on Instagram accounts that are dedicated to their love of food. Self-described foodies may love food and spend an inadequately large portion of their day revolved around finding the newest food fad, taste bud-provoking meals, and niche restaurants, but that love is coupled with respect. They don’t overdo it and, according to the recent findings, balance their meals with fitness.

Fast, cheap, and easy foods typically comprise the fat and calorie-laden meals that lead to weight gain and lethargic lifestyles. Taking the time to seek out exotic dishes and carefully prepared flavor profiles is not only typically healthier and more expensive, it is more time-consuming, and ultimately lays grounds for a greater respect for the food preparation process itself.

"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 the study’s co-author Brian Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab. “Instead of sticking with the same boring salad, start by adding something new. It could kickstart a more novel, fun, and healthy life of food adventure."

To find out if you’re a scientifically classified foodie, review the following list. If you’d be willing to taste test at least nine of the following foods more than once, consider yourself an adventurous foodie.

  • Kale
  • Seitan
  • Quinoa
  • Seaweed
  • Bean Sprouts
  • Beef Tongue
  • Eel
  • Quail Eggs
  • Rabbit
  • Kimchi
  • Tempeh
  • Venison
  • Polenta
  • Liver
  • Raw Oysters
  • Pork Belly

Source: Latimer L, Pope P, and Wansink B. Food Neophiles: Profiles the Adventurous Eater. Obesity. 2015.