Avoid These 7 Extremely Addictive FoodsThat Sabotage a Healthy Diet ...
By Heather • 13 Comments
By Heather • 13 Comments
Certain addictive foods trigger an opiate response in the body that creates a sense of euphoria as soon as we eat them, as if we’re in a food trance. After those first joyful bites, we start to experience withdrawals, whether that be from headaches, cravings, low blood sugar, general moodiness, or even possibly the jitters. The response is so intense that it often leads people to develop an addiction to these foods to get the next “hit.” It’s one reason these foods are so prominent in the food industry. Food producers want the food to be addictive so consumers will buy more and profits will increase. Avoiding these addictive foods won’t only level out your blood sugar and reduce cravings but will also make you feel healthier and more balanced.
Sugar is one of the most addictive foods you can consume. Since sugar is found in such an abundant amount of our food supply, it’s important that you read labels and educate yourself on all the sneaky names for sugar. You can find a complete list here: myfitnesspal.com.
Wheat is now produced in a way that makes it very high on the glycemic index, which makes your blood sugar drop and makes you crave more high glycemic foods. Gluten, a protein found in wheat, also contains a high amount of opiate receptors that can make it hard to stop eating and make cravings more prominent.
One of the main proteins in dairy, known as casein, is a highly addictive substance that acts as a strong opiate in the body. Its purpose by nature is so that calves will want to drink their mother’s’ milk as much as possible so they can grow large in a short amount of time. Call it nature’s gift to cows, if you will! However, we’re not meant to consume that casein, unless we want to get nice and plump quickly like cows, of course. Casein is one of the reasons dairy foods are so hard for most people to quit eating. Anything from cow’s milk contains casein, including cheese, cream, milk, butter, and yogurt.
Meat contains albumin, which has been proven to produce an opiate response in the body. It’s also usually high in saturated fat and cholesterol, so it’s overall best to avoid it. You can get plenty of protein in your diet without eating meat though, so go for plant-based sources such as quinoa, oats, chickpeas, lentils, vegan protein powder, beans, nuts, and seeds.
Fast food contains high amounts of fat and salt, along with MSG. When combined, these cause an intense reaction in the body, making them hard to stop eating. It’s one reason oils, salt, and processed fats are added to so many foods in our food supply.
Junk food contains high amounts of sugar, salt, MSG, and fat- not to mention processed ingredients that can contribute to the addiction. When the taste buds are overwhelmed with such a powerful hit of flavor, the body starts to crave more and more of them over time.
The problem with caffeine is in the stimulant reaction it creates, which is like a quick jolt instead of a gradual stream of long-lasting energy. Keep it to one or two cups a day and always go for plain coffee and tea over energy drinks or sugary coffee drinks.
Avoiding some or all of these foods isn’t hard to do, though it can be challenging at first. Base your diet off of fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, quinoa, gluten-free oats, millet, nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and read labels as much as possible. Have you ever quit eating one of these highly addicting foods?
Sources: mindbodygreen.com, marksdailyapple.com, mindbodygreen.com