If you’ve ever struggled to eat just one or two cookies, or one slice of pizza, you know that it can be difficult to not go overboard. You think, “These are so addictive! I must stop!” even while you reach for more. There was once an ad on TV for a very popular processed food proclaiming “Bet you can’t eat just one.” And they were right.
Research on food addiction is ongoing, but what we’ve learned so far is that the symptoms that surround food cravings do indeed seem to mirror those related to drugs and similar substances.
| Hallmarks of food addiction include: No control over consumptionContinued eating patterns despite a negative impactLack of ability to control eating despite wanting to do soHiding it from your spousePlanning your day, or going out of your way, to consume a certain food |
| Highly processed foods have artificially increased levels of refined carbohydrates (sugar, white flour) and fat. These may trigger addiction-like responses because they produce unnaturally high levels of reward in the brain. Lots of refined carbs can also increase the rate at which the addictive food components are absorbed into the bloodstream, creating a blood sugar spike. Research has shown a link between blood sugar levels and activation of the parts of the brain involved with addiction. Not everyone who likes pizza or chips will necessarily eat them uncontrollably. And just because you find yourself craving junk food or even losing control over your consumption of it may not mean you’re addicted to it. The Yale Food Addiction Scale—a way to assess addiction-like eating behaviors—found that food addiction often occurs in the context of other issues, such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A 2015 study published in PLoS One ranked foods on their potential to be addictive, with a score of 1 being not at all addictive, and 7 being extremely addictive. As expected, ultraprocessed foods ranked high on the scale. Is it any surprise addictive foods are common in the American diet? Least addictive foods: Cucumbers Carrots Beans Apples Brown rice Broccoli Bananas Salmon Most addictive foods: Pizza Chocolate Chips Cookies Ice cream French fries Cheeseburgers Non diet soda Cake Cheese Want to learn more? Healthy choices made daily play a huge role in keeping our internal systems healthy and in balance. Get this resource at https://order.store.mayoclinic.com/flex/mmv/LIVEY01/ |
