Would you Like To Add Some Heroin To Your Order?

December 15, 2009   4 Comments

Am I being a radical by suggesting that french fries equate to heroin? Has Snack-Girl turned into a anti-junk food psycho?

I don't think so.

There is a large body of evidence that supports the idea the junk food effects the same area of the brain as heroin. I doubt there is a person reading this blog who hasn't kept eating Doritos, Cheetos, or French Fries long after they were full.

As we drive by the fast food venues, we hear food calling to us. Hey, a few fries won't kill you....how about a shake?

Do you ever find yourself thinking of a particular food when you aren't hungry? Maybe you start dreaming a bit about when you can get yourself some more of it.

In Dr. Kessler's (former FDA commissioner under presidents Bush and Clinton), "The End of Overeating", he talks about a taste that combines salt, sugar, and fat that is addictive. His theory is that food manufacturers (restaurants, bakeries, etc.) have figured out what that taste is and have increasingly used this information to make us buy more food.

Dr. Kessler believes that addiction to junk food it is one of the big influences in the obesity epidemic (see book referenced below).

After reading his book, I changed all the junk food photos on this website to black and white. I had numerous friends tell me that after seeing a particular photo - they went out and bought the food that I was trying to help them avoid.

I hope that the new (lack of) color scheme will not trigger people into a desire for food that is essentially crap.

My advice to you, if junk food is a problem, is to learn more about why you eat what you do. Don't feel so bad if you are "out of control" around certain foods. You might not have enough will-power to stop yourself from eating it.

In this amazing study with rats - see here Junk Food Turns Rats into Addicts

"When the junk food was taken away and the rats had access only to nutritious chow (what Kenny calls the “salad option”), the obese rats refused to eat. “They starve themselves for two weeks afterward,” Kenny says."

Junk food is powerful stuff.

Get a copy of Dr. Kessler's (former FDA commissioner under presidents Bush and Clinton) book to learn more:

What food makes you lose control of your eating? Please share below.

Want to read about great snack habits?
What Does Santa Want?
How to Survive Holiday Parties
How to Identify Bad Habits