Food as Addictive Substances

Can food really be addictive? I suppose it depends on your definition of “food.” Refined sugar, for example, is often thought of as ‘food’ because it is used so often in food (especially processed foods and desserts), but it can also be thought of as a chemical additive. Food addiction is not yet a recognized medical diagnosis—that may happen sooner than later—because some foods have been found to trigger the same brain reward system as do drugs, alcohol, tobacco, sex, gambling, and so on. More tomorrow.