Meat, Chocolate, Coffee, and Sugar Lead to Food Addiction

Food Consumer recently reported on a new study that proves that fatty food or junk food is addictive.  Foods like meat, chocolate, coffee and sugar can cause food addiction, according to another report.

Lab rats that has unlimited access to a junk food diet were found willing to risk an electronic shock which would be triggered when they ate more than what the researchers allowed them to eat. 

In contrast, those given a healthy rat diet and only limited access to junk food did not eat compulsively.

Paul Kenny at Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Fla and colleagues also found when junk addictive foods like bacon, sausage, pound cake, and candy bars were removed from their diet, the rats went on a hunger strike - they did not eat anything for two weeks. 

Furthermore, the researchers discovered that eating the addictive food literally changed brain chemistry by suppressing the dopamine D2 receptor in the brain's reward system, leading to compulsive eating. 

The study suggests that the tasty junk foods may play a big role in the national obesity epidemic. 

The following is a brief summary of an article about food addiction by Stephen J. Gislason MD at http://www.nutramed.com/eatingdisorders/addictivefoods.htm

Food addiction is not a new concept.  For a long time, certain foods like meat, chocolate, coffee and tea and sugar have been found to be addictive and substantial understanding of the food addiction has been obtained through scientific research. 

The most commonly known addictive food is meat or meat products and/or savory foods.  Peptides from milk and wheat proteins are known to act like the body's own narcotics, the endorphins; this was discovered in a 1979 study.  Other proteins like gluten can help produce substances known as exorphins, leading opiate (narcotic) like activity.  Exorphins such as hydrolyzed wheat gluten can prolong intestinal transit time and affect gastrointestinal function, hormonal release and appetite. 

Another powerful substance that can promote food addiction is monosodium glutamate or MSG. MSG is often used in Chinese restaurants, but is actually present in all types of savory foods.  Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, wheat protein, milk protein, whey protein, hydrolyzed casein can also contain this substance. Again, peptides in these protein hydrolysates can also boost savory taste, “encouraging” people to consume more food.

 Another known addictive food is chocolate. Up to now, one molecule in chocolate found to be responsible for food addiction is theobromine, which is also present in coffee and tea.  Caffeine and phenyethylamine are also present in chocolate to boost the addictive qualities.  The latter is a dipeptide that has arousal properties and renders pleasure.  Women often experience chocolate cravings during the premenstrual week.

Jimmy Downs and editing by Rachel Stockton