How to Stop Food Cravings: Can we really be addicted to food?

Can we really be addicted to food?

The answer is yes, we can, and it is much more common than you might think.

We all need food and nutrition on a daily basis in order to survive, though it is not this food that we become addicted to.

Today’s obesogenic-promoting food environment makes it hard to turn a corner without running into an advertisement for junk food, or the big yellow McDonalds sign (this is not an exaggeration, statistics show that a McDonalds store is opened somewhere in the world every 14.5 hours) [1]. As our food environment has changed, so has our perceptions and actions toward food.  It is easy to mistake something that is edible with something that is food.  Many edible non foods hold substances or compounds that for some seem to be addictive.

Addictive Definition: (adj)

Food addiction is a complex issue that involves the brain, the body, our behaviour, interactions and relationships. Refined sugar, namely ‘sucrose’ (table sugar) has been repeatedly described as one of the most highly addictive food substances [3]. When certain man-made foods go beyond this and contain a combination of high fat, sugar and salt (pizza we’re talking about you), our preference to consume these foods is significantly enhanced. What’s actually interesting is that these highly palatable substances have the potential for abuse, just like alcohol and other drugs. The manufacturing and processing of foods involving the addition of chemicals and ingredients to enhance flavour makes them more similar to addictive drugs [4]. An example of this is the development of corn in the human diet. For many years it was a staple food and an excellent source of complex carbohydrates. However in the 1960’s, corn was refined into a very sweet and concentrated carbohydrate called High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Today, this ingredient is added into so many of our common processed foods (cereals, drinks and sweets). As a result, our consumption of HFCS has increased significantly over the last 40 years [5].

Fructose is a sugar found in fruits and honey. However, it is very important to understand that the fructose found in fruit is in much smaller concentrations than the fructose found in processed foods. In this post we are talking about the addictive potential of processed, refined junk foods and therefore, fruit should never be frowned upon.

So how then can manufactured foods high in HFCS or sucrose make us addicted?

Foods high in HFCS can actually promote hunger sensations, while other sugars (e.g. glucose) can depress hunger through the stimulation of insulin. The way fructose works in high concentrations makes it very similar to other addictive substances such as alcohol. In addition, high fat and sugar diets further enhance our preference to consume these foods, which can lead to overeating behaviours.

So what can we do about it?

If you feel that you:

• Eat when emotional/stressed
• Eat a lot of food in a short amount of time
• Try a lot of different diets that don’t work
• Feel obsessed over food
• Can’t control your intake

Then you might benefit from a meeting with Lisa to talk about your concerns. The cycle of food addiction and obsession can be a stressful and exhausting one. Lisa can help you find the right way to get back on track and help you to create a positive relationship with food. After all, it’s never too late to start over and it’s never too late to be happy.

[1] McDonalds, Australia. (2015). Macca’s story. Retrieved from https://mcdonalds.com.au/about-maccas/maccas-story

[2] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/addictive

[3] B. Spring, K. Schneider, M. Smith et al. (2008). Abuse potential of carbohydrates for overweight carbohydrate cravers. Psychopharmacology, 197(4),  637–647.

[4] A. N. Gearhardt, C. Davis, R. Kuschner, et al. (2011). The addiction potential of hyperpalatable foods. Current Drug Abuse, (4), 140–145.

[5] G. A. Bray. (2008). Fructose: should we worry? International Journal of Obesity, (32), S127–S131.