In this article, we shall discuss the 5 most addictive foods according to science. To read our detailed analysis of food addiction and its impact on the fast food and weight loss industries, go directly and see 20 Most Addictive Foods According to Science.
5. Ice cream
Average Score: 3.68
Due to the exorbitant usage of addictive ingredients like sugar, fats and other feel-good chemicals, high-calorie foods like ice cream trigger the pleasure centers of the brain to release dopamine and serotonin. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that people who excessively consume ice cream are able to build a greater sugar tolerance, enabling them to eat more in order to achieve the same baseline levels of pleasure.
4. Cookies
Average Score: 3.71
A global favorite, cookies or biscuits are baked desserts, which are typically small, flat, and sweet. They come in a variety of shapes, flavors and variations and contain enormous amounts of processed sugar, flour, oil, butter, and salt. The high calorie count and fat content commonly associated with cookies are a major contributor to its addictive properties.
3. Chips
Average Score: 3.73
Apart from the excessive use of salt, there is also another secret ingredient in chips that rank it so high on our list of the most addictive foods according to science. According to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Moss, the crunchiness of chips is a vital factor to induce addiction to the product. Add to that the heightened flavor and the large amounts of fat and carbohydrate and it becomes apparent how chips have clawed their way to become a global favorite.
2. Chocolate
Average Score: 3.74
There are two primary factors that contribute to the addictive nature of chocolates: pharmacological ingredients and additives. Since chocolate contains enormous amounts of sugar, fat and caffeine, even scientists who disregard food addiction as a neuropsychological pathology are forced to accept that chocolate craving is a very real phenomena. The careful combination of sweetness, smoothness and creaminess creates a texture which ensures that the consumer is never able to stop after eating just one chocolate.
1. Pizza
Average Score: 4.01
Pizza tops our list of the 5 most addictive foods according to science. The secret behind its addictiveness lies in the crust, which is made of refined white flour. Refined flour turns into glucose in the bloodstream, triggering the pleasure centers of the brain to release high amounts of serotonin. This is complemented with the topping of cheese, which in it of itself is an incredibly addictive food. Cheese contains the protein casein, which release casomorphins, a kind of opiate.
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