Can you really be addicted to junk food? Michael Moss, author of the new book “Hooked” makes the argument that highly processed food can be as addictive, if not more than drugs and cigarettes. Here’s a recent article in the New York Times about the book:

www.nytimes.com/2021/03/25/well/eat/hooked-junk-food.html

From the article:

In another cynical move, Mr. Moss writes, food companies beginning in the late 1970s started buying a slew of popular diet companies, allowing them to profit off our attempts to lose the weight we gained from eating their products. Heinz, the processed food giant, bought Weight Watchers in 1978 for $72 million. Unilever, which sells Klondike bars and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, paid $2.3 billion for SlimFast in 2000. Nestle, which makes chocolate bars and Hot Pockets, purchased Jenny Craig in 2006 for $600 million. And in 2010 the private equity firm that owns Cinnabon and Carvel ice cream purchased Atkins Nutritionals, the company that sells low-carb bars, shakes and snacks. Most of these diet brands were later sold to other parent companies.

Anahad O’Connor for the New York Times

I read the author’s previous book “Salt, Sugar, Fat” years ago, and I can highly recommend it. It deals with the ways these companies manipulate food to make it more addictive.

After being off most processed foods for about a month, I stopped craving sugary foods for the most part. I could see a bag peanut butter cups and not eat even one. Last week, however, I made the mistake of eating a couple of Peeps, thinking “I can handle it!” Turns out, I couldn’t. I was craving sugar for days! There wasn’t a safe donut or cookie within a five mile radius of my mouth.

I know not everyone is affected by junk food the way I am, but I also know I am not alone. Is there a highly-processed food or type of food that you have this issue with? Have you eliminated any problematic food in your house? Let me know in the comments!