VIDEO – CRAZY FOR COCO PUFFS? –

Jan. 30, 2023 – Gearhardt was a member of the group that devised the Yale Food Addiction Scale. The scale uses the same criteria used to diagnose substance addictions and applies it to highly processed foods, she said.

Gearhardt suspects that ultraprocessed foods, which are high in fats, sugar and salt, tap into the brain’s reward system, triggering the release of dopamine, the same signaling chemical that makes people feel pleasure when they get enough food, have sex or use certain drugs. 

Another insidious component of these foods, she said, is that companies strip out fiber and water, which makes it easier for people to consume large quantities without ever feeling satiated.

“When you feel full, there are hormones in the gut that turn down the dopamine system,” Gearhardt added. “These foods don’t seem to be signaling satiety, so there’s no dampening of the dopamine system.”

Click@NBCNews