FACT: According to a recent analysis of U.S. grocery buys, processed foods now make up more than 60 percent of all the calories Americans purchases. And above 80% highly processed foods that households are purchasing are higher in fat, sugar and salt, on average, compared to the less-processed foods.
So it’s no wonder these snacks are as addictive as they are. Companies “engineer” food to appeal to your taste busds and solicit your brain to create a “crave-type” action. According to Yahoo Health, here are 2015’s most addictive snack foods
5.) Most Addictive Food: Doritos
Listen, we love these little cheesy sensations too! It’s hard NOT to like them. Like a cheap blended vodka, Doritos are designed to go down in one fast, desperate binge. The recipe for the popular chip was specially designed so that no single flavor overpowers another. When foods lack a dominant flavor, people are less apt to feel full and, in turn, consume more, say researchers. One of the first ingredients on the food’s label is monosodium glutamate (MSG), an additive that’s been known to increase appetite and make foods taste more appetizing. And if you thought “Dorito breath” was just a coincidental side effect, think again. The powerful savory taste lingering in your mouth is an example of a tactic called “long hang-time flavor” that’s used to lure snackers into going back for more. With all of these factors working against you, it’s really no wonder you’re defenseless when Doritos come around.
Snack On This Instead: Many grocery store chains are trying to cash in on creating their own “homemade” tortilla chips that are created in store. They are fresher and healthier for you. For that cheesey goodness, simply add in a cheese slices or shredded cheese to eat beside it (real cheese, try to avoid processed cheese). Blue corn chips with seasoning is also tasty. Try them from your local store too.
4.) Most Addictive Food: Cheetos
Who doesn’t remember eating these growing up? More than likely they were washed down with some colorful sugary drink. But now we now better, right? Right. This orange, puffy snack melts the second it hits your tongue —a phenomenon scientists have dubbed “vanishing caloric density.” And it’s no accident. Food developers know that when foods melt quickly, it tricks the brain into thinking you’re not eating as many calories. That gives our subconscious permission to eat a much larger serving. Even the sound Cheetos make when you bite into them was specially developed to get you hooked. Our brain associates the crackling with freshness, according to a recent Oxford University study.
Snack On This Instead: There are a number of healthy puffy snacks out on the market that are air-popped and not fried with a great deal of oil and other substances like Cheetos. Many of your neighborhood grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes have them on stock.
3.) Most Addictive Food: Oreos
Scientists have shown that the same chemical reaction you get from eating Oreo’s is nearly identical to that of taking cocaine (yes, THAT cocaine). As it turns out, these chemical-laden disks are more addictive than both cocaine and morphine, according to a 2013 animal study. To come to this finding, researchers fed rats rice cakes, Oreos or gave them injections of cocaine or morphine, then monitored the effects of each on the pleasure center of the brain–which likely explains why it’s so hard to eat just one.
Snack On This Instead: Since historically, cookies are the…
5 Most Addictive Snacks In The World was originally published on blackdoctor.org
