The Verdict Is In: Fatty, Processed Foods—Especially Cheese—Are as Addictive as Drugs

A recent study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine found that certain foods can trigger the same “addictive element” as drugs.

From the Los Angeles Times:

For years you’ve been telling your friends, family, co-workers and anyone who will listen that you’re addicted to cheese. It’s a part of every meal or snack, and you think about it constantly. A new study suggests food addiction is a real thing. … Researchers identified addictive foods from about 500 people who completed the Yale Food Addiction Scale, designed to measure if someone has a food addiction.

Pizza, unsurprisingly, came out on top of the most addictive food list. Besides being a basic food group for kids, college students and adults, there’s a scientific reason we all love pizza, and it has to do with the cheese.

The study found certain foods are addictive because of the way they are processed. The more processed and fatty the food, the more it was associated with addictive eating behaviors.

Cheese happens to be especially addictive because of an ingredient called casein, a protein found in all milk products. During digestion, casein releases opiates called casomorphins.

Read more here.

—Posted by Natasha Hakimi Zapata