Can’t Stop Eating One Certain Type of Food? There’s a Reason for That

I used to binge eat chips and salsa. Take me to a Mexican restaurant and I would devour the chip dish. It didn’t help that often the waiter or waitress would just keep refilling the bowl.

Often free of charge.

There are lots of other foods that people don’t seem to be able to stop eating:

• Oreos

• Potato chips

• Cereal

• Candy

• Fried foods like chicken

Maybe you can think of a particular food that you have a really hard time to resist?

It’s not that people are losing their willpower compared to our ancestors. In many cases it’s by design.

When we think of engineers, we think of people who build planes, trains and automobiles. Rocket ships heading to the moon and stars.

Well they also design food. To be highly addictive.

Back in the 1970’s a market researcher and psychophysicist (never heard of that profession) named Howard Moskovitz came up with a term called the “Bliss Point”. The bliss point was the point where the levels of saltiness, sweetness and richness in a food was perceived by the customer as just perfect. It was the combination of salt, sugar and fat that can trigger the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine and overriding satiety signaling.

Add a crunchy texture to the food and people will continue to eat it until the food is gone.

The engineers achieved a tremendous success for their companies. Not so much for the American public. These days US consumers are devouring 68-77 kilograms of sugar per year on average vs. 1.8-2.7 kilograms in the 1700’s.

And those cravings push out the consumption of more traditional whole foods prepared at home. Especially when you can eat the addictive food right out of the package. No preparation needed.

By the 1990’s people were noticing. Chronic diseases were increasing. Researchers started looking into the reasons for these poor health outcomes. They also found there was a genetic component to the addiction. Chronic disease growth occurred more in certain racial/ethnic populations. The genetic component also explained why some people gain weight and some lose weight on similar diets.

Just like drug pushers, these food engineers wanted you hooked. Then you’ll keep coming back for more.

And just like drugs, alcohol or any other addictive substance, it would be in your interest to beat it.

Admit you have a problem.

Don’t start eating the food. Don’t think you ‘can eat just one.’

Ban the food from your home. If you’re at a restaurant, don’t have that first bite.

If it’s really bad, maybe it’s time to look into a food addiction recovery support group like Overeater’s Anonymous?

Don’t beat yourself up about your lack of willpower. As a recovering food addict myself, I can definitely sympathize with the people who can’t help themselves. You have some very powerful interests working against you.

Hopefully highlighting the problem will help you fight against it.