Now you might ask what is a nice Jewish (half Catholic -half Jewish girl) writing about the Bacon. This morning I was sitting here wondering what new thing I might write about that can help us all . And suddenly, I smelled the sweet savory smell of bacon floating across the apartment complex and thought about how my mind trickled back to childhood memories, of Bacon and eggs, party plates of kosher salami , ritz crackers and wise potato chips, and then I thought about ice cream sundaes and pizzas. I guess my celery and almond butter was just not cutting it this AM.
According to healthy Buzz, here are The Top 5 Addictive Foods. This will be no surprise to all of you (though some will think the word addiction is controversial, as one must eat food).
Chocolate
One reason many people feel “addicted” to chocolate is that the food’s chemical compounds (including theobromine, phenylethylamine, anandamide and tryptophan) actually have pleasure-inducing effects that can mimic the effects of drugs on the brain. Chocolate also contains alkaloids (tetrahydro-beta-carbolines) which are present in alcohol and have been linked to alcoholism.
However – before you go booking yourself into Chocoholics Anonymous – it is important to note that many researchers have pointed out that the chemicals in chocolate also exist in other foods which most of us do not crave. It has also been suggested that the chemicals in chocolate are not in high enough doses to lead to addiction. Regardless, it is impossible to deny that chocolate is one of the world’s most-craved foods – whether this is due to psychological reasons or a physical addiction.
Cheese
Cheese is a staple of many widely-craved junk foods. There can be more to pizza than we think (i.e. the presence of opiates – including the highly addictive morphine – in the popular dairy product cheese).
While the amounts of morphine in cheese are very small and probably not enough to cause addiction, some researchers have expressed concern about its levels of casein (the main protein in cheese) which produces morphine-like opiate compounds called casomorphins during digestion. On top of this, cheese also contains phenylethylamine, a substance with stimulant effects which is thought to give consumers a natural “high”, and which is reputed to have addictive qualities.
Sugar
We know that sugar is bad for our health, and according to numerous studies it can also be addictive. Studies have suggested that when we eat sugar, chemicals called opioids are released by the brain, which leads to an intense feeling of pleasure. It is this feeling that people may crave in the absence of sugar.
A study by psychologists at Princeton University investigated sugar addiction by studying its effect on rats. They discovered that after rats were fed a diet high in sugar, they experienced symptoms similar to those produced by drug withdrawal when the sugar was withdrawn, including shaking and changes in brain chemistry. The study therefore concluded what other researchers have also suggested; that it is possible to become severely dependent on sugar.
Burgers and Other Processed Meat
Researchers and studies have suggested that fatty, processed junk food such as burgers may actually be addictive. According to Professor David Kessler – an ex-commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration and author of The End of Overeating – the combination of fat, salt and sugar in junk food triggers our “bliss point” and leaves us wanting more.
Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida backed up this theory with a study which found that the addictive responses in the brains of rats when fed junk food including fatty meats were the same as in those that consume cocaine or heroin. On top of this, meat, just like chocolate, cheese and sugar, release opiate-like substances during digestion.
Coffee
One reason that people may crave caffeine so much is due to the fairly severe symptoms of caffeine withdrawal that people often face, ranging from fatigue and headaches to irritability and depression. However, it may be that, rather than being physically dependent on caffeine, you are actually addicted to the belief that you can’t function without your morning cup of coffee. Whatever the reason, caffeine remains the world’s most popular drug and a staple of many daily routines.
What does this actually mean? Is our feeling good all about the Bacon really bad? I tend to think not, yet this morning as I looked at my almond butter avocado toast, I did reminisce about these 5 food groups. There is no doubt I am not alone.
MSN.com did an extensive study of food buying, preparing and eating habits thin COVID-19. No doubt there are some people eating healthier while others are consumed with the munchies. There is no doubt that COVID-19 is changing the way folks are eating. Here are their findings: https://www.msn.com/en-in/foodanddrink/foodnews/how-covid-19-is-changing-the-way-the-world-eats/ss-BB15kywj#image=6
1. 4 in ten people are stocking up on grocery runs
2. 47 % are doing more home cooking
3. 13% are eating smaller meals
4. 27% are snacking more
5. 22% see packaged food as healthier
6. 15% are eating more often
7. 43% are eating healthier
8. 46% are baking more
9. 72% are making more pasta and rice
10. More people are worried about grocery costs
11. Higher income are drinking more alcohol
12. Plant food sales have spiked
13. Calorie Consumption has spiked by 50%
14. Drinking water has increased
15. 55% Mood elevating foods has increased
So if you want to taste the bacon or the chocolate or have that piece of pizza, don’t throw yourself under the bus. You aren’t alone in COVID-19 food. If you are concerned about your eating, there are people and places that can help.
In the meantime, I would love to hear from you to learn how if at all your eating and food shopping habits have changed in COVID-19.