This blog post was written by James and Dahlia Marin of Married to Health. 

We have all heard our friends and family say, “I just can’t stop eating these___________(fill in the blank).” We have even heard some people say “jokingly” that they are addicted to certain foods, but can food be addictive like a drug? Many say yes. Consider this example- the Coca plant is a natural plant that many western South American locals chew on to get energy, similar to how Americans and many other countries drink coffee. Some individuals soon realized they could refine the plant to make cocaine (a highly addictive substance). Later on, there was a realization that cocaine could be further processed into crack-cocaine, an even more addictive substance. What does this have to do with food? Let’s look at corn. Corn, an abundant plant grown in the United States, has been processed into corn syrup, which is very addictive. Soon after the development of corn syrup, it was discovered that the sweetness of the syrup could be increased to make high-fructose corn syrup. As food products become more processed, in turn, they also become more addictive/The more food products are processed, the more addictive they become. These foods can stimulate parts of the brain for pleasure and euphoria, just like drugs.
So, how does food transition from a safe plant to a highly addictive and obesogenic substance? One answer could be the lack of natural fiber. Most Americans are not consuming anywhere near the daily recommended fiber intake. This is a result from the vast amounts of processed foods that saturate our grocery stores. Unnatural, highly processed and sugar filled products are everywhere. However, the term “processed foods” isn’t limited to products like cookies and sugary breakfast cereals. Cheese, milk, juice, and even tofu are considered processed food. Keep in mind, the processed food spectrum is vast and has a large range. Eating products like tofu once in a while won’t cause harm, but eating foods like popsicles, cookies, and artificially-colored breakfast treats can add to or cause food addiction, which is usually accompanied by a food-related disease like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

The solution to this problem of food addiction is simple. Going back to the previous example of the corn being heavily processed over time, this shows that the process needs to be reversed. In other terms choose more whole-plant foods. Instead of orange juice and a bowl of sugary processed cereal in the morning, choose a whole fruit smoothie and a cereal made with whole grains instead. Looking back at the late 19th century, sugar was not as prominent and most people had added sugar/processed food only once per week if they were lucky. Back then, diabetes, obesity, gout, and many of the diseases that plague today’s society were considered “rich men’s” diseases, as they were the only group that could afford an abundance of processed/addictive foods (croissants, ice creams, pastries, etc.).

Weaning off of highly processed foods is a process. Start little by little- read the ingredients of the foods you buy, look for products with no added sugar and pronnouncable ingredients. Over time, the gut microorganisms, salivary enzymes and more will change and allow you to crave less of the addictive foods that once were dietary staples. Small changes add up to huge wins. Remember that plants protect, so by choosing plant foods like beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, this ensures your body receives a balance of nutrition and not too much of a single substance.

If you live in Southern California, find a grand selection of fresh, frozen, canned, and premade whole foods at your local Mother’s Market!