A study found 14% of people worldwide are addicted to ultra-processed foods, like chips and ice cream. That's 1 in 7 people. And because they're everywhere, quitting can be just as hard as quitting smoking, or drugs.
Here's a crazy headline from "The New York Post": "Ice cream and potato chips are just as addictive as cocaine or HEROIN." (???)
They're referring to a new study at the University of Michigan that looked at ultra-processed foods . . . or UPFs . . . and how addictive they are. That includes things like chips, ice cream, soft drinks, sugary cereal, and other junk foods.
It found 14% of people are addicted to them. That's 1 in 7 worldwide.
But is ice cream really as addictive as HEROIN? Well, you probably won't get the shakes just because you ran out of Häagen-Dazs. But it might be just as hard to QUIT ultra-processed foods.
Junk food gives you a nice shot of dopamine, the "feel-good hormone." Then you eventually crash and crave more. So it's similar to what happens with drugs. But the real issue is that ice cream is a lot easier to get than illegal drugs are.
One expert compared it to trying to quit smoking back when everyone smoked. Quote, "Trying to quit UPFs now is like trying to quit smoking in the 1960s."
Full story here.