Most Addictive Foods
The other day I was talking to a friend who has a son recovering from a drug addition. She said that in his support group the leader said that, "It is important to remember that often with recovery comes relapse." I think this resonated with me because although I am not dependent on drugs or alcohol, I have joked that I am addicted to food.
The hard part with this kind of dependency is that, you need to eat to survive. I cannot just cut out food entirely and the negative choices are everywhere. I had my relapse over the past few months where I started turning to more comfort foods. I am back on track and hope that the relapse was a one time thing and that I learned from falling down.
I read an article on Prevention about Food Addictions and the most addictive foods and I just wanted to share these. It is interesting because I know certain foods definitely trigger wanting more. We have this dish of Hershey's Miniatures in my office. I never craved it and one day as I was bored during a staff meeting I ate one piece of dark chocolate. That afternoon at snack time, instead of eating what I packed I decided to eat more chocolate and one piece turned to many more.
I am definitely weak for 1, 4, 6 and 9. See if you crave any of the most addictive foods.
10 Most Addictive Foods10. White Bread
It's made with refined flour, which has been stripped of the bran, the germ, and all of the nutrients normally present in bread. What a shame that restaurants tempt you with an entire basket before every meal out! Opt for substantial breads that you can't squish into the size of a marble. That way, you know the grains are truly "whole".
9. Donuts
Experts think sugar might be the most addicting of the three. Studies have shown that every time rats eat large amounts, dopamine is released. That's not normal, says study author Dr. Nicole Avena, PhD, a research neuroscientist and expert in food addiction. "The dopamine release becomes more what you'd expect to see with a drug of abuse," she says.
8. Pasta
The typical Italian portion can fit in a teacup; American portions are closer to plate size. But it's not all bad news: buy high-quality spelt pasta, cook it al dente (which lowers its glycemic load), and use olive oil to greatly increase pasta's nutritional profile, says Andrew Weil, MD, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.
7. Cake
There's something irresistible about the spongy buoyancy of a sugary cake—and don't even get us started on frosting. (Frosting!) If you eat too much of it, though, you might not accumulate as many candles on that cake as you'd like. Sugar—in its many guises—has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
6. Chips
Chips are ridiculously high in fat and salt, but that doesn't stop with the notoriously greasy brands. Even baked veggie chips are packed with fat and many mainstream chip brands list sugar on their ingredients lists. Whip up a batch of homemade kale chips with a touch of sea salt to satisfy your craving for crunch, instead.
5. Cookies
According to a research review, merely seeing tempting food releases dopamine. Indulge and your brain gets a boost from that happy hormone, priming you to want more (and more, and more.)
4. Chocolate
Handle this potent stuff with care: A bite will do you. One study published in a 1997 issue of International Journal of Psychophysiology found that self-identified chocoholics had physical, behavioral, and emotional responses to chocolate that closely resembled those of drug addicts to their drugs.
3. French Fries
French fries are a dieter's nightmare and a food industry's dream. They're the apex of the sugar-fat-salt triumvirate: salted, fatty, and with a touch of natural sugar.
2. Candy
Mark Gold, MD, Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Florida, has been researching food addiction for 30 years. He found that the sugary foods you're exposed to in utero and throughout childhood make kids love—and crave—more sugar.
1. Ice Cream
It's no wonder: Ice cream is the go-to breakup binge, the creamiest celebration treat, the perfect hot-summer-day refresher, the more comforting cold-winter-night snack (under the covers? Anybody?) What's the big deal? Animal studies have shown that high consumption of processed treats like ice cream may reduce the appeal of foods that were once considered rewarding, like watermelon. That's because it shifts our brain's hedonic set point. Once that happens, the only way to get your fix is, well, more ice cream.
For more details, visit: http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/food-addiction-most-addictive-foods
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