Filed under: Health, Healthy Eating
Ever feel like you’re physically incapable of putting a stop to your bad eating habits? Smokers fall victim to the ongoing cycle of endless cravings, and it can sometimes seem like we’re caught up in a similar pattern when it comes to eating excessive amounts of unhealthy food.
But while smokers can blame their habit on a need for nicotine, eaters can’t claim the same physical addiction … or can we? Recent studies suggest that people can get addicted to too much junk food, and it can be as serious as an addiction to drugs.
The studies, which were published recently in Nature Neuroscience, claim that excessive food intake can cause changes in the brain that lead to chemical dependency. It all has to do with the neurotransmitter Dopamine, which acts as a reward in the brain and is released when a person or animal engages in pleasurable activities.
Continue reading Are We Addicted To Food?