Are You Addicted to your Favorite Food?

May 28, 2008

Food addiction appears to be very real. Studies with sugar (sucrose) have shown that it has effects on the reward centers of the brain similar to those of drugs like morphine or heroin or even cocaine. Foods that contain wheat or milk are themselves digested into opiate-like peptides. In animals that have had binge-like exposures to sugar, they go into physical withdrawal symptoms that look exactly like those of a heroin addict! Years ago, some food allergists observed the same thing in their patients who had various chronic health problems. They fasted them under medical supervision for 4-7 days, saw the withdrawal symptoms (unmasking), and then challenged them with a large meal of the suspect food. After withdrawal has ended, foods that are triggering low grade chronic symptoms will instead trigger obvious, big adverse reactions. Don’t try this on your own without medical supervision – but be aware that it is a simple way to find out if you are addicted to a food…and if it is actually triggering symptoms. Simple holistic tip – start with foods that you crave and can’t imagine doing without them.