This week, we’re diving into the question of whether sugar and processed food can be labeled as addictive and exploring the research behind the addictive nature of these foods and how they affect our behavior and health.
Topics include:
The distinction between unprocessed, minimally processed, and ultra-processed foods
How ultra-processed foods affect our calorie intake and weight gain
The role of dopamine in reinforcing the consumption of these addictive-like foods
The impact of environmental cues and memories on our craving for ultra-processed foods
The ongoing debate surrounding whether food addiction is a true addiction
Referenced Articles
Gearhardt and Schulte, 2022. Review of food addiction.
Hall et al., 2021. People eat 500 more calories per day on ultra-processed foods.
Vasiliu, 2021. Prevalence of food addiction.
Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS).
