More than Addictive-like Behaviors

University of Michigan researchers, using the Yale Food Addiction Scale, found that top scoring foods with addictive-like behaviors included pizza, chocolate, and French fries. While these foods aren’t much of a surprise, the reasons (according to the researchers) are shocking and unexpected. These foods tended to lead to physical discomfort and mental distress, plus addictive-like behavior. This distinctive trend pointed to processed foods—high in added sugars, fats, and composed of refined carbohydrates. The high scoring foods on the list usually lead to high glycemic levels, meaning people’s blood sugar levels are likely to rise as a result of eating such foods. High glycemic spikes are not good for the brain! They tend to be followed by a drop in blood sugar levels. The roller-coaster impact of high spikes followed by lows is not good for the brain, either. In addition, they discovered that dairy cheese contains casomorphins, (an opiate) to which a person can become addicted.