High Glycemic Index (GI) Foods as addictive as Drugs and Alcohol
Public health researchers across the Tasman Sea have conducted studies into the addictive qualities of food with results that show the underlying brain mechanisms that result in drug dependence are in effect with some kinds of food, as well.
The foods most implicated in this effect are very specific: they have been highly processed and are high in carbohydrates, such as white bread, pastries, carbonated beverages and confectionary products. That somehow doesn’t seem like a surprising result!
The Journal Medical Hypotheses published the study results that indicated that high Glycemic Index (GI) foods caused blood sugar levels to spike suddenly. The resulting sugar flooding the system stimulated the same area of the brain associated with addiction to nicotine and other drugs. Even slightly elevated blood sugar levels can lead to food cravings, mood swings, overweight, pregnancy and fertility problems, heart attacks, stroke, and the development of diabetes. Evidence even suggests a link between high blood sugar with some forms of cancer.
This is in stark contrast to the effect of low GI foods, which produce only a gradual rise in blood sugar and insulin levels. What are some low GI foods? Almost all fruits, vegetables and legumes, as well as oatmeal, lentil soup, and whole grain breads. The rule of thumb is ‘the less processing the food has undergone the better it is for you’.
Evidence shows that people who binged on high carbohydrate foods experienced the usual symptoms of addiction, and suffered withdrawal if they stopped suddenly. Such binging is, for the brain, the equivalent of using drugs or alcohol. Carbohydrate addicts would benefit from controlling their blood sugar by eating mostly low-GI foods, which will thereby reduce craving. It is always best to keep blood sugar levels steady, because it is now known that a lack of glucose can impair the areas of the brain that oversee planning and self-restraint. Skipping a meal will almost certainly mean that you overeat at your next meal. Addicts may need assistance to handle this aspect of food.
Nutritionists recommend that, optimally, everyone should eat several small meals, containing both complex carbohydrates and protein, throughout the day. By keeping blood sugars level we will be more capable of resisting overeating later, and almost all of us could benefit from that.
For further reading, Medical Hypotheses Volume 71, Issue 5, November 2008, Pages 709-714,
http://www.foodproductdesign.com/hotnews/study-links-heavily-processed-carbs-to-food-a.html
http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/blood-sugar-problems-are-everyones-problems
