Junk food 'as addictive as heroin and smoking'

Jim

Big Boy
American researchers found burgers, chips and sausages programmed a human brain into craving even more sugar, salt and fat laden food.

Can't say I'm surprised by this.

LINK HERE
 
At last! perhaps finally the medical profession will stop treating us as fat, lazy slobs who want to stay like this.:mad:
 
Remember that diet programme Anna Richardson recently did on channel 4? Can't rememebr the name - something like 'my big fat diet show'. It said that scientists have developed the chemical formula for causing the brain to get a euphoric feeling, companys such as pringles use this - thats why most people literally can't stop til the tubes empty. Loads of yummy addictive foods use this formula - its an exact combo of sugar, fat, chemicals etc. I ?guess that fits in with this article.
 
cant say it surprises me to be honest - im really having to try my absolute hardest to wean myself off the junk!
 
Remember that diet programme Anna Richardson recently did on channel 4? Can't rememebr the name - something like 'my big fat diet show'. It said that scientists have developed the chemical formula for causing the brain to get a euphoric feeling, companys such as pringles use this - thats why most people literally can't stop til the tubes empty. Loads of yummy addictive foods use this formula - its an exact combo of sugar, fat, chemicals etc. I ?guess that fits in with this article.
Yes I remember! Should be flippin' illegal, grr!:mad:
 
There's been a load of talk about this recently, though the research was done a while ago. I've sort of changed my interest in leptin (which has a lot to do with cravings etc) to dopamine :D

What fascinated me was that the rats and mice in the experiment, who had the low dopamine receptors, were so crazy to get their 'hit', that they would risk an electric shock to get to it.

The rats who hadn't been eating the junk food, avoided the signal indicating they would get a shock.

There's not doubt in my mind that though I can now eat junk food in moderation, for a long time I did have to take loads of care when trying it out after getting to goal.

And even now, I have much control if I eat unprocessed foods most of the time anyway. I always knew that I wasn't greedy, that something else was going on, and now we know there are umpteem hormones and signals that try to interfere with our conscious choices.

But food addiction, like any other kind of addiction can be sorted, and yes, it's not easy, but fortunately we're not doomed. The power of conscious choice remains stronger if you let it.
 
I am too aware of this phenomenon right now - it is very very hard to break. I've let the sugar, and fat, and all that junky stuff back in due to some very difficult situations - however, breaking the dependency is very tough once it gets going.
At least I am aware of what is happening right now, and slowly am working towards breaking 'the habit' as it were. Because I do know from past experience that if I don't have junky stuff - I don't want it. And if I have a little - it doesn't "take hold" ...unlike if I have too much - and then the brain screams for it all the time.

Ugh, makes me wonder though... When I look at American processed foods, their range of candy, savoury snacks, convenience foods... It's like no one even gives people a chance to be honest? At least in the UK we've banned 'hydrogenated fat' goods, but still... Unless you cook your own food from scratch, you're pretty much doomed ...
 
Funny, I'm a big South Park fan and was watching an episode from the recent series on tv yesterday, our Fat Cartman was gutted as the local KFC's were closing and he could only get it on the black market lol.

Meanwhile Stans dad found a drug shop opened up in its place selling grass but only if you had a prescription from the doc.

I'm assuming something in america sparked the idea of this for the makers to show it but it made sense.
 
Ah this is very interesting, I must say it confirms what I've come to believe myself, just from the way my own behaviour with food used to be for years, to the way it is now. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that the biggest factor in reforming my 'addiction' to food was cutting out refined fats and sugars.

I know there's a school of thought that it's psychologically healthier to be able to have those kinds of foods in moderation, as an occasional 'treat' or whatever, but for me the immediate negative effect in terms of cravings to eat more of them is just not worth it. I'm happier giving them a complete miss, and my eating seems to be stable now for the first time in my life.

I do honestly believe that one day, when we're a lot more knowledgeable about how certain foods affect us physiologically, we'll be astonished at how freely available and socially encouraged they are.
 
I believe this. That's one of the reasons that make me eat clean. When i want to some "junk type food" I do it myself, without all those chemicals and additives. The more junk I eat, the more i want to, so I think the best is not to eat it or make it ourselves. It works ;)
 
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