The Psychology of Junk Food

I'll admit, I never understood the character of Claudia from my childhood Babysitter's Club Novels.

The girl who had junk food stashed away in all parts of her bedroom: under the pillow, in her drawers, and even under the bed! But now, as an adult, I fully get it. I always have a few things stashed away in my cupboard for junk-food emergencies -- Junior Mints, Miss Vickie's Chips, and Diet Dr. Pepper. These little indulgences are always there and never questioned; as I'm a huge advocate that life in moderation is the key to ultimate happiness!

But everybody knows that junk food and unhealthy eating has negative effects on our physical health. An excess of junk food can cause unwanted problems such as blood pressure issues, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Junk food takes a psychological toll as well making us feel more tired and lazy, contrary to the belief that people are lazy because they are unhealthy or obese.

The Cycle of Eating Junk:

So what exactly is happening to our brains when we eat something unhealthy? Sweet taste receptors on our tongues are activated when we taste sugary food, then they are activated again when the food reaches the stomach. These sweet taste receptors send a signal to the cerebral cortex in your brain where different tastes such as sweetness, saltiness, and bitterness are quantified.

Sugar gives our reward system positive sensations in the same way socializing, sex, and drugs do making it arguably have the same type of addictiveness with less intensity.

This positive sensation is created by releasing dopamine from the brain, the chemical responsible for every time you feel good. Sugar is a common food that sends dopamine into your brain, but sadly, most "healthy" foods do not trigger a dopamine release in your brain. (Why am I not surprised that broccoli is NOT one of these foods?:-)

When we eat a particularly delicious healthy meal for the first time, the great taste will spike the dopamine levels in our brain. But after continuing to eat the same dish for a long period of time, the dopamine spikes will start to diminish. This means that it is super important to constantly be trying new healthy foods and changing meals in order to feel motivated to eat healthy foods.

Break the Cycle:

If you are trying to break your habits of eating unhealthy foods there are some things you should keep in mind. Food is one of the most powerful emotional stimuli, and we all know that eating patterns are causes by emotional decisions (not conscious decisions). From childhood, parents give children unhealthy and tasty food when they act "good" and this carries on into adulthood and people apply it on themselves.

Gain some Peace when it Comes to Food:

Food ultimately shouldn't be tied to our emotional ups and downs. Starting small helps because it keeps goals attainable. I've always been an advocate for dropping the labels of 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' as well. You'll know something is good for you when in a mindful state, a food truly makes you feel 'good.

Understand that Eating Well is part of Taking Care of Yourself:

Just as we wouldn't go without brushing our teeth, or going to our doctor's appointments, refusing to eat well can have serious consequences to our overall health. Recognizing this is one of the key things I've seen people realize before making big changes when it comes to their junk food intake. Take care and good luck!