Why Food May Be Addictive

I had been suspecting this for a long time now but the proof seems to be pointing more and more in this direction. According to INR (Institute for Natural Resources, Concord, CA) highly processed foods, especially fast foods, are the ones that are the most "addicting."

They are typically foods that provide the most seductive rewards. In other words they raise the dopamine and serotonin (pleasure seeking hormones) levels in the brain at the highest and fastest rates over other foods. Addictive foods would include refined sugar of any kind, processed carbs made from white flour, along with high amounts of salt, saturated fats and even caffeine, especially when combined together.

So think of the fast food industry in general and all the processed food where they are typically consumed as opposed to whole fresh foods.  And don't forget all the "coffee shakes" (full of sugar, fat and caffeine) popularized throughout our entire current environment. These foods are totally refined, potent in terms of their rewarding ingredient list mentioned above.(And they are cheap which heightens their allure.) This past seminar suggests that in animal studies, the way the ingredients are combined enhances their addictive force. In mice studies, the animals work harder for these types of foods even when not hungry!

So what's the take home message? Eat WHOLE foods as much as possible! It all goes back to the basics by eating real food and not relying on the fast food industry to entice us to the obesity epidemic trap.