Obesity additives in food...is it real?

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tracypk
tracypk Posts: 233 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just got done watching a video about how some food manufacturers put additives in foods that make them addictive. They are meant to preserve the food, but they in turn make us addicted to them. I am not a food addict but I was wondering if this was a real thing. I know if I eat whole foods instead of processed foods this will assist in my weight loss. Is it because these processed foods have additives that cause me to gain weight? I am aware that the processing of the foods takes away nutrients. I'm just curious if anyone else has heard of this.
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Replies

  • DieVixen
    DieVixen Posts: 790 Member
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    I think its just another way for people to blame anything but themselves
  • MrsR0SE
    MrsR0SE Posts: 341 Member
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    Sugar and salt are considered addictive, aren't they?
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    I think its just another way for people to blame anything but themselves

    I had a friend that swore the orange dust on Doritos was an addictive substance. It's an absurd notion. Processed foods are not purposefully made to be addictive. They usually contain more salt, sugar, and fat which our bodies naturally crave. It's not some evil conspiracy to make us fat and addicted to food.
  • buckystars
    buckystars Posts: 129 Member
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    I'm curious about this as well. I know that I am super hungry for snacky, sugary things after I drink a Diet Coke and I've heard there are links between the two but I'd love to hear a more scientific response from someone far smarter than I. :)
  • C00lCountry
    C00lCountry Posts: 282
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    I believe it could be so.
    You can cook almost the same thing at home fresher ingredents and it holds you over longer.
    Go get something frozen and made and you be hungry in hour or two.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    I read an article in which an academic, I believe it was the head of the nutrition center at Yale, Kelly Brownell (?), but I could be wrong, said that food manufacturers manipulate flavors in order to make food more appealing to consumers. Whoever it was said it wasn't an accident that sweet and salty flavors are combined. I believe the example used was the Snickers bar.

    The chemicals added or used -- growth hormones are an example -- are a separate concern. There are theories that little girls are experiencing puberty much earlier because of exposure to synthetic estrogens.

    In addition, sugar, in the form high fructose corn syrup, or cane sugar, seems to be added to many more foods than I recall in the past.
  • Chood5
    Chood5 Posts: 259 Member
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    sugar?
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    They try to make their food appeal to your taste buds so you'll buy it.

    Nobody will deliberately buy worse-tasting food unless it's labelled "diet"
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Studies have demonstrated that certain combinations of fat, salt and sugar trigger addictive brain patterns. These ratios are frequently found in fast food. I'm not saying that this is intentional... its just cheap (fatty) meat with tons of salt to cover the fact that its cheap food prepared poorly. We're the idiots that buy it!

    Luckily, it only takes a few weeks to overcome cravings for junk. So, start eating clean, preparing foods on your own and you don't have to worry about "addiction."
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Nobody will deliberately buy worse-tasting food unless it's labelled "diet"

    HA! So true!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    I don't know whether processed food is addictive or not, but food scientists make whole careers out of making food products tasty, have pleasing texture and mouth feel, satisfying, and any number of other properties like comforting and visually appealing. They monkey with the ingredients (including additives) until it is just right to sell maximum amounts of that product. So it may or may not be addicting, but it is designed intentionally to appeal to consumers, and people may interpret that as being addictive.

    From personal experience, having switched to mostly unprocessed foods and a sufficient calorie amount and nutritional profile to sustain me, I have completely eliminated cravings for junk food. So there's that...
  • tracypk
    tracypk Posts: 233 Member
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    Thank you everyone. This is great keep it coming. I love information and even though I had already decided to stop eating processed and prepackaged foods this just gives me more fuel to stick to my convictions.
  • tracypk
    tracypk Posts: 233 Member
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    I don't know whether processed food is addictive or not, but food scientists make whole careers out of making food products tasty, have pleasing texture and mouth feel, satisfying, and any number of other properties like comforting and visually appealing. They monkey with the ingredients (including additives) until it is just right to sell maximum amounts of that product. So it may or may not be addicting, but it is designed intentionally to appeal to consumers, and people may interpret that as being addictive.

    From personal experience, having switched to mostly unprocessed foods and a sufficient calorie amount and nutritional profile to sustain me, I have completely eliminated cravings for junk food. So there's that...

    I would love to stop craving junk food.
  • Shyhmim
    Shyhmim Posts: 27
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    well, many fast food has Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) or also known as Ajinomoto, its a type of food additive that makes you very thirsty as it has very high sodium content. This MSG is also the main factor that makes all fast food tasty and "addictive". Its a taste enhancer.

    Well, if you eat too much, the high sodium content itself can cause water retention and high blood pressure, and the food as a whole will probably make you obese. Most food that contains MSG are junk food and stuff which also has preservatives. I'm not sure if obesity and additives are related, but MSG certainly makes you wanna eat the food again coz its very tasty. You wont' get addicted like the way you're addicted to drugs and such, but you would tend to eat more of the food coz of the taste itsef.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate

    Next time when you buy something off the shelf, make sure you read the Nutritional Information at the back, they might include the amount of MSG in it. =)

    I hope this helps.
  • runningmaria
    runningmaria Posts: 11 Member
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    If you keep in mind that food companies and restaurants are "for profit" companies it makes sense that they want you to eat and buy as much of their product as possible.
  • FrostyFour
    FrostyFour Posts: 262
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    You know, I noticed that on days when I allow myself to have JUST ONE Dorito, I find myself suddenly craving the heck out of them. It takes about a week for me to stop craving again.
  • tracypk
    tracypk Posts: 233 Member
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    well, many fast food has Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) or also known as Ajinomoto, its a type of food additive that makes you very thirsty as it has very high sodium content. This MSG is also the main factor that makes all fast food tasty and "addictive". Its a taste enhancer.

    Well, if you eat too much, the high sodium content itself can cause water retention and high blood pressure, and the food as a whole will probably make you obese. Most food that contains MSG are junk food and stuff which also has preservatives. I'm not sure if obesity and additives are related, but MSG certainly makes you wanna eat the food again coz its very tasty. You wont' get addicted like the way you're addicted to drugs and such, but you would tend to eat more of the food coz of the taste itsef.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate

    Next time when you buy something off the shelf, make sure you read the Nutritional Information at the back, they might include the amount of MSG in it. =)

    I hope this helps.

    I have heard that MSG can also cause other symptoms like headaches. I have a friend that will not eat anything with MSG she checks all the labels.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    I think its just another way for people to blame anything but themselves

    Completely agree
  • aweightymatter
    aweightymatter Posts: 222
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    A couple of great books that explore this topic are:

    Michael Pollan - 'The Omnivore's Dilemma' (first section about corn production and corn additives, HFCS, etc.)

    and

    Dr. David Kessler - 'The End of Overeating' -- this one explores much more in-depth what some posters above have touched on, which is the science of food manufacturing... I forgot what the term is already (need to look at the book again!) but yes, many people have jobs based around finding the exact flavor and texture combinations that keep your hand going from mouth to bag or box as quickly as possible.

    I don't think it's a way for people to "blame anything but themselves" -- of course personal responsibility is important, but it's better to exercise that responsibility when you're fully informed :)
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
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    I was (I still am...) addicted to food. My obesity was purely and simply a result of addiction. Nothing emotional to it.

    I don't know if there's any science behind the composition of that food, but it's something you certainly can become addicted to. Like I'd imagine would be the situation with any addiction, I know if I let myself go wild I'd be addicted again. Instead, I've learned moderation and diversion tactics.

    Food addictions do happen, but like all others they can be fought.

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