According to a new study, highly processed foods that are commonly sold in retail stores in most countries have some characteristics that are as addictive as tobacco. These are foods with a high content of refined carbohydrates and added fats. Previous studies have also shown that frequent consumption of large amounts of ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased number of heart attacks, strokes and premature deaths.
Additive behavior is a loss of control over consumption, a strong craving, an inability to reduce and continuous consumption, despite the negative consequences. The list includes ice cream, chocolate, French fries, quick breakfast cereals, marmalade, carbonated drinks. These foods contain high doses of refined carbohydrates and fats, which the researchers called "unnatural" because they depend on "significant changes in the food matrix during processing that remove ingredients that slow down the speed of food intake and digestibility (for example, water and fiber)." Due to the density and rapid availability of nutrients, the brain turns on the reward system, and in fact requires more and more, forming addiction.
According to scientists, another area of research that should be studied is the role played by many dietary supplements that change the taste, smell, texture or sensation of food in the mouth. Supplements themselves may not be addictive. However, researchers believe that they may contribute to the emergence of addiction to food when consumed with refined carbohydrates and added fats, similar to what happens with additives in tobacco products.
That is why the most useful food is unprocessed foods rich in fiber (vegetables, nuts), as well as olive oil, the method of making of which was invented millennias before trans fats and other modern "poisons".