Most people love a good meal overflowing with sugar, salt, and fat. What's not to like? It turns out, a lot. Each ingredient on its own is no picnic for your health, but together it is an experiment that could change your brain. Researchers believe that the three unhealthy ingredients foster the creation of dopamine, which in turn, drives the desire for more of said ingredients. Cravings relate to addiction.
The food industry has done its homework. These companies know we each have a bliss point, the spot that triggers the maximum amount of addiction in our brains. They've spent significant time and effort to learn how to hit the bliss target. Although food that accomplishes this satisfied us in the short-term, it also triggers mindless eating. While these companies benefit financially from this, our health certainly does not.
There is a fair amount of research on the subject. One particular study was very interesting to me. Rodents were fed meals with substantial amounts of fat, sugar, and sodium. Researchers found not only that the rodents' reward centers were activated, but that when healthier meals were reintroduced, the rodents appeared to suffer from withdrawal, which highlights the addictive nature of such food ingredients.
It is easy to train our brains to eat too much. This happens when we overindulge in foods filled with sugar, sodium, and fat. Not only are they unhealthy on their own, but the fact that they can be addictive makes them that much worse. Furthermore, sugar and sodium can preserve food, resulting in a convenient product ready at a moment's notice to overeat. It's no wonder that obesity is an epidemic in the U.S. with rates skyrocketing.
Food industry execs, along with Madison Avenue advertisers, don't play nice either. They spend millions of dollars attempting to establish an emotional connection between you and their product. They want you to consider their product a comfort food. Have you ever watched a commercial where an overweight actor was inhaling a greasy cheeseburger? Of course not. They're always good-looking, fit people. These companies are very good at bypassing your conscious brain to make tie their product to feeling good.
Although food companies do not set out to make us fat and unhealthy, it is an unfortunate byproduct of them trying to sell more products to us. It is up to us to be aware of the forces that be and take steps to keep from overindulging. The best option is to avoid having unhealthy, processed foods in the house. It also pays to be prepared when you go out. Take healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, and nuts out with you. Sweet fruit, in particular, can also help solve sugar cravings. There's a reason why it's called "nature's dessert". Give it a try.
The food industry has done its homework. These companies know we each have a bliss point, the spot that triggers the maximum amount of addiction in our brains. They've spent significant time and effort to learn how to hit the bliss target. Although food that accomplishes this satisfied us in the short-term, it also triggers mindless eating. While these companies benefit financially from this, our health certainly does not.
There is a fair amount of research on the subject. One particular study was very interesting to me. Rodents were fed meals with substantial amounts of fat, sugar, and sodium. Researchers found not only that the rodents' reward centers were activated, but that when healthier meals were reintroduced, the rodents appeared to suffer from withdrawal, which highlights the addictive nature of such food ingredients.
It is easy to train our brains to eat too much. This happens when we overindulge in foods filled with sugar, sodium, and fat. Not only are they unhealthy on their own, but the fact that they can be addictive makes them that much worse. Furthermore, sugar and sodium can preserve food, resulting in a convenient product ready at a moment's notice to overeat. It's no wonder that obesity is an epidemic in the U.S. with rates skyrocketing.
Food industry execs, along with Madison Avenue advertisers, don't play nice either. They spend millions of dollars attempting to establish an emotional connection between you and their product. They want you to consider their product a comfort food. Have you ever watched a commercial where an overweight actor was inhaling a greasy cheeseburger? Of course not. They're always good-looking, fit people. These companies are very good at bypassing your conscious brain to make tie their product to feeling good.
Although food companies do not set out to make us fat and unhealthy, it is an unfortunate byproduct of them trying to sell more products to us. It is up to us to be aware of the forces that be and take steps to keep from overindulging. The best option is to avoid having unhealthy, processed foods in the house. It also pays to be prepared when you go out. Take healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, and nuts out with you. Sweet fruit, in particular, can also help solve sugar cravings. There's a reason why it's called "nature's dessert". Give it a try.
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