Can Food Be Addictive?
Many researches have recently explained that foods high in salt, sugar, and fat can actually change our brain’s chemistry and ignite an urge to overeat. In other words, the food cravings sabotaging our weight-loss efforts might actually have a physiologic foundation!
Researchers also point out that some of the food industry’s ads seem to actually promote overrating, or are at least capitalize on the addictive qualities of certain foods, particularly junk foods, in an attempt to increase their sales. There is no denying that many foods out there, junk food or not, have immense addictive qualities, you know…to put into effect…finger licking good type of qualities.
I’ve always supported the idea that the food industry should fully disclose any harmful ingredients in its products and, when doing so, use simple, consumer-friendly language. But although such truth telling is always helpful, I also believe that the burden is ultimately on us consumers to read food labels and to ferret out the ingredients in the restaurant foods we eat.
Here’s how I keep abreast of what’s ending up in my food:
- In the grocery store, avoid any items that list sugar—dextrose, sucrose (that’s table sugar), lactitol, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and so on—among their first three ingredients. Other ingredients, such as sorbitol, xylitol, and maltitol, are examples of sugar alcohols, and they’re iffy in terms of their wholesomeness. Sugar alcohols are chancy because in some people they can cause gas, bloating, or diarrhea, especially when consumed in larger amounts (i.e., more than 5 grams of sugar alcohol per serving). Sugar alcohols are also absorbed at about a 50 percent rate, so people with diabetes or blood sugar issues must proceed with caution.
- As much as possible, stay away from foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG).
- Try to get no more than one-third of your calories from fat, and steer clear particularly of unhealthy trans and saturated fats.
- Talk with your doctor and dietitian about whether you might benefit from a multivitamin/mineral supplement. Sometimes food cravings can be linked to a mineral deficiency.
- If your food cravings don’t seem to stem from diet, think about whether you might be seeking to fill a deficiency in your life with food— not-too-uncommon way of resolving this problem during these stressful times. Consider getting support, with either helpful and supportive family or friends, or perhaps with a professional counselor. In addition, stress management techniques, including deep breathing, meditation, and yoga may help ease those cravings.
May you hopefully oneday become free of food cravings…till then, good luck!
Julie Riggs MED RD LD
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