They're messing with our minds!

There is a very interesting article in today's Washington Post that talks about the effect of food and eating on the brain. Whereas most research investigates the link between eating and physiology this researcher, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, says that food composition affects brain chemistry, making us crave particular foods. He focuses on sugar, fat, and salt saying that they compel us to over eat rather than satisfying hunger.

" "Highly palatable" foods -- those containing fat, sugar and salt -- stimulate the brain to release dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with the pleasure center, he found. In time, the brain gets wired so that dopamine pathways light up at the mere suggestion of the food, such as driving past a fast-food restaurant, and the urge to eat the food grows insistent. Once the food is eaten, the brain releases opioids, which bring emotional relief. Together, dopamine and opioids create a pathway that can activate every time a person is reminded about the particular food. This happens regardless of whether the person is hungry."

As you might expect, restaurants and food producers know all this and manipulate the content of their products to exploit it. What we need to do is become aware of this problem and make better food choices so that we can minimize the effects and take control of our dietary health.