What Makes Processed Foods and Snacks Addictive?

Before we jump into the solutions, let's take a quick look at what's causing junk food cravings in the first place. You probably know that refined sugar is more addictive than cocaine,³ but sugar is not the sole culprit causing food addiction.


Another part stems from the way food manufacturers combine various flavors and textures to produce truly addictive products. This science is used not just for chips, cookies, and sodas, but for ALL processed foods, from condiments to pasta sauce.


Food scientist Steven Witherly has studied taste and addictive flavors for the last two decades. In his report: "Why Humans Like Junk Food,"⁴ he reveals what it is about a wide range of specific foods that stir our senses and taste buds. For example, the reason people love corn chips is because of the following combination of factors:

• Corn chips contain lots of "taste-active solutes," including salt, sugar, MSG, and others
• Seasonings create a high salivation response
• The chips melt quickly in your mouth, enhancing "dynamic contrast and evoked quality"—two parameters that contribute to pleasurable sensations
• Corn chips are calorie dense
• Cheese proteins create pleasurable—and addictive—casomorphines⁵ when digested