We all crave junk food or comfort food on occasion, but sometimes it feels like once we get started, we can't stop, and research is revealing it happens because of changes in the brain and gut.
A survey on healthy aging found 44% of adults over 50 have at least one symptom of junk food addiction — 24% craved it once a week, 19% experienced cravings two to three times a week, and one in eight surveyed said those cravings caused distress several times a week.
ABC15 Health Insider Dr. Shad Marvasti says that the burst of happiness you get from the first bites of your favorite junk food is actually a release of dopamine in your brain, a reaction similar to any other addiction.
"It's an endless cycle — you keep craving that flavor, you keep getting that dopamine hit, but all you're getting is empty calories," said Dr. Shad, who says food companies have created thousands of flavors to mimic real foods with processed ingredients.
"When you're eating a processed food that has the flavor of a bean or the flavor of a tomato, but they don't actually have the nutrients of a tomato, then your body is going to crave that flavor thinking it's getting the nutrient connected to it when it's not getting any nutrients at all," said Dr. Shad.
He adds mood hormones, like dopamine, are actually produced in the gut, and not the brain. When it's not fueled by nutrients, like fiber, there's a ripple effect.
"They're toxic to this microbiome, the good bacteria that are there. This disrupts the development of these good-feeling hormones. That disruption creates an irregular cycle which can contribute to mental health issues like depression, anxiety and food addiction which lead to chronic diseases."
He says you also have the power to change your own genes, by changing your diet, in as little as three weeks.
"The food we eat is like a messenger that changes things. Literally, thousands of genes change in their expression for the better. And your body is going to start to shift and crave the berries and the avocados and the nuts and seeds, so you can make that change, and I've seen that happen in patients."
As your gene expression changes, so do your taste buds and he says that's the process of retraining your brain to recognize and crave real flavors from fruits and fresh vegetables, triggering those dopamine hits again.
Adding meditation and exercise can release more dopamine and now, you've created an addiction to healthy habits!