Miss Psychobabble: How Junk Food Control Our Eating Behavior

Image Credits: Νick Perrone via Flickr

Obesity has become a greater health problem than hunger worldwide.  Most cases are attributed from one's sedentary lifestyle - lack of physical activity and indulgence on unhealthy food.  Little do you know that junk food not only causes you to gain weight but it also causes you to stick to fixed eating preferences.

According to a recent study by Reichelt and her colleagues, people lose their innate desire for different kinds of food once they eat unhealthily on a frequent basis.  Our brains are wired to seek nutritional diversity so that we do not overeat.  But exposure to "obesogenic diets" for only two weeks altered the brains' neurological circuits in the male rodents.  Researchers also added that alterations in the brain happened by impairing the sensory-specific satiety following the consumption of the high calorie solution.

Why it is essential to know this

All of us had overindulged at one point, whether it’s during a lavish occasion or a tough break-up, cake, ice cream, and chips are truly delicious.  It is no surprise that companies spend money, time, and effort just to perfect the process of the flavor and packaging.  As Jeffrey Dunn, former Coca-Cola executive, once said:  "We are [a nation of] pro-junk-food behavior…the selling of food matters as much as the food itself."

However, our brains are naturally designed to recognize when we had too much to eat, so when the next tempting treat comes along, we are simply are not interested.  But letting regular junk food habit will lead to preferring burger and all the high calorie food - all the time.  So, mix up your diet.  Keep healthy bites such as apples and nuts handy so you can snack on them and make different recipes for vegetables or fish.