Obesity additives in food...is it real?

tracypk
tracypk Posts: 233 Member
edited December 18 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
    I think its just another way for people to blame anything but themselves
  • MrsR0SE
    MrsR0SE Posts: 313 Member
    Sugar and salt are considered addictive, aren't they?
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    sugar?
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    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
    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


    Nobody will deliberately buy worse-tasting food unless it's labelled "diet"

    HA! So true!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    I think its just another way for people to blame anything but themselves

    Completely agree
  • aweightymatter
    aweightymatter Posts: 222
    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
    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.
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    Sugar and salt are considered addictive, aren't they?


    Yes...I have heard that Sugar is a legal drug that is just as addicting as cocaine to your body...Crazy stuff!! I love sugar & it is one of the hardest things to cut out of my diet b/c it is in EVERYTHING...UGH!!!
  • Kalynx
    Kalynx Posts: 707 Member
    you might enjoy the book Real Food: What to Eat and Why by Nina Planck..its a little hard to read, but you learn a lot.. When I was reading it I would have to read maybe 10 pages at a time, put it down and "digest" - no pun intented - what I had read before continuing, but I got so much out of it!!
  • Lasirenn
    Lasirenn Posts: 50 Member
    I think its just another way for people to blame anything but themselves

    Well food companies are out to make a profit. True, there's no magic ingredient out there that turns people into mindless eating drones, but we naturally crave sugar, salt or fat (with most people tending to have a preference for one of the 3) Snack foods *are* made so you can't eat just one, which is why it's usually best to just not buy them at all. You often can't beat temptation, but you can avoid it.

    But certain ingredients are definitely thrown into foods to make them more appealing to the masses. Sugar is added to just about everything for that reason.
  • schninie82
    schninie82 Posts: 502 Member
    Well if it's true, it sure does explain a lot!!
  • ktsmom430
    ktsmom430 Posts: 1,100 Member
    If you look at the sodium content in processed foods vs fresh it is astounding. Whether or not it is used for flavoring or as a preservative, it is an eye opener. I am trying to cut back on my sodium intake and thanks to this site, I can monitor it very easily. Things that I never gave a thought to before such as frozen skinless boneless chicken breasts vs: fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    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.

    It just sort of happened for me, as a pleasant side effect of changing my diet. I usually have pizza with my dad every friday night and we order from Domino's, and they have these amazing little chocolate cakes we usually get. It was my favorite part of the meal. Last time we ordered, I ordered the chocolate cake, but ultimately didn't feel like eating it, even though I had already accounted for it in my daily calorie count and it wouldn't have put me over or anything. I mean it was there, and I just passed on it- it wasn't a test of willpower or difficult or anything. I realized that evening that treats no longer had the hold on me that they once did.
  • guppygirl322
    guppygirl322 Posts: 408 Member
    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 :)

    ^^Yes, that^^

    Junk food is concocted to taste good, to make you want more. Everyone knows that sugar is addictive. When you are eating sugar without the benefit of other nutrients and fiber (say, a pack of Twizzlers instead of an apple) your body is looking for the extra nutrients that it didn't get. Therefore, you will crave more food and eat more than you normally would. Same thing with diet soda. Your body doesn't know the difference between fake or real. The brain thinks it has had something sweet, is looking for the nutrients that go along with it, and triggers the desire to have more. If you are unaware of these things, you will automatically reach for something else to eat, usually more junk.
  • dancingdeer
    dancingdeer Posts: 373 Member
    Whether it's true or not - it's another reason why you should eat whole, natural foods. If it's in a package or processed - pass it up!
  • dolldreams
    dolldreams Posts: 245 Member
    MSG is supposedly injected into lab rats to induce obesity. Scientists in Spain discovered that it increased the appetite in mice by 40% so I definitely think food additives is contributing to food cravings and addiction.

    http://www.euroresidentes.com/Blogs/2005/12/scientists-in-spain-link-additive-to.htm
  • shine_
    shine_ Posts: 150 Member
    Used to work at Pringles in their customer service department (people get really, really upset if a few of the chips in that tube are crushed!!) and at times we'd get people calling wondering if it is true that there was some ingredient added to make people literally not be able to stop ("once you pop...") - not true, of course, and so we assured them. But if you think about it anything that the body will treat as a sugar (starch for example, like in things made out of potatoes = any crisps, not just Pringles) will trick your brain into thinking it needs more. That's not something that's forced upon us by manufacturers, that's just biochemistry, completely natural. What we can do is just choose food that does not trigger that for us. I think it's our very own responsibility. Some people are probably more sensitive to it than others. Not fair, but that's life.
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