Researchers shed new light on how the human brain responds to highly processed foods

Jun 27, 2013 20:21 GMT  ·  By

People seemingly unable to get enough of highly processed foods need not necessarily blame themselves and their lack of will power for this weakness. They should probably blame their brain, a new study shows.

Researchers writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explain that, though they are not frown upon as often as heroin and nicotine are, highly processed foods affect the brain in a similar way.

The scientists explain that foods whose glycaemic index is fairly elevated tend to stimulate the reward and cravings centers in the human brain.

More precisely, they act on the brain's pleasure centers and toy with the levels of dopamine a person's body produces when subjected to various experiences.

“Beyond reward and craving, this part of the brain is also linked to substance abuse and dependence, which raises the question as to whether certain foods might be addictive,” study leader Dr. David Ludwig explained, as cited by Daily Mail.

This sets a so-called addiction mechanism in motion, meaning that the more highly processed foods an individual eats, the more they want to eat.

In other words, culinary “delights” such as bread and potatoes are stunningly efficient at inducing the sensation of hunger, but more often than not fail to properly chase it away.

Dr. David Ludwig argues that the findings of his and his colleagues investigation into how the human brain responds to highly processed foods will first and foremost benefit obese people and those who, for some reason, are considering losing some weight.

He says that, if these people were to lay off bread, potatoes and the like for a while, they might find that their cravings and their hunger are significantly easier to deal with.

“These findings suggest that limiting high-glycaemic index carbohydrates like white bread and potatoes could help obese individuals reduce cravings and control the urge to overeat,” the researcher concluded.