Why Junk Food is So Addictive
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If you’re reading this with a bag of chips or another junk food in your hand, try to put the bag down. You probably won’t be able to. Companies know you can’t stop and won’t stop eating them in one sitting.
Studies show that junk food companies spend billions of dollars on marketing their products and figuring out the certain mix of ingredients to keep you eating their food, according to Huffington Post.
HuffPo compiled a list of foods and why we can’t stop eating them, such as pastries, fries—basically, everything you know is bad for you but eat anyway because it’s so good. Companies know their products are addictive.
Michael Moss recently wrote in the New York Times a list of reasons why Doritos are so addictive. Moss says this is due to all of the flavors our taste buds react to, like salt, garlic powder, and sugar. The lactic and citric acid content in the chips trigger saliva, making Doritos “mouth-watering.” No wonder the Doritos Locos Tacos from Taco Bell has surpassed $1 billion in sales.
According to Prevention, the reason why we are addicted to candy (especially with Halloween right around the corner) is because our bodies are not capable of handling an intense amount of sugar, fat, and salt all at once. Processed foods are now put into the same category as drug abuse because it is so addictive, according to Ashley Gearhardt, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Michigan.
So next time you pick up that bag of chips or junk food, remember that the company behind it spent billions of dollars to find ways for you to keep eating it.
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