Did you ever find yourself opening a new package of Oreo Cookies just to find that you simply could not stop eatting them? One to two Oreos turned into 5-6 and then some and the desire to eat more just increased? Well turns out you are not alone and it turns out there is good scientific data out there to explain why.
A new study by students at Connecticut College found that when rats ate Oreo cookies they activiated more neurons in the rats’ brain (in their pleasure centers) than hard addictive drugs such as cocaine or morphine.
Neuroscience Professor Joseph Schroeder said in in a school press release, “Our research supports the theory that high-fat/high sugar foods stimulate the brain in the same way that drugs do.” He continued, “It may explain why some people can’t resist these foods despite the fact that they know they are bad for them.”
Jamie Honohun, the student behind the research, said she was interested in exploring how foods with high fat and sugar content contritube to obesity that in prevalent in low-income communities. She concluded that the risk was higher because of there low price point.
“Even though we associate significant health hazards in taking drugs like cocaine and morphine, high-fat/high-sugar foods may present even more of a danger because of their accessibility and affordability, said Jamie Honohun.
I’m sure if they did a study on pregnant rats, they would probably find an even higher correlation to addiction to sugar cravings as many pregnant women do once they get past the throws of morning sickness.
On a more comical note, the study did find that the Oreo lab rats would break open the cookie and “eat the middle first” much like we do.