Wonder why it's hard to stop eating Oreos once you've taken that
first bite? A new study suggests that "America's favorite cookie" is
just as addictive as cocaine or morphine -- at least in lab rats.
"Our
research supports the theory that high-fat/high-sugar foods stimulate
the brain in the same way that drugs do," co-author Joseph Schroeder, an
associate professor of neuroscience at Connecticut College in New
London, Conn., said in a press release. "It may explain why some people can't resist these foods despite the fact that they know they are bad for them."
Researchers tested rats' affinity for the chocolatey sandwich cookie in
several lab experiments. Co-author Jamie Honohan explained that Oreos
were chosen not only for their taste, but because they have high amounts
of fat and sugar and are marketed heavily in areas where people tend to
have lower socioeconomic status and higher obesity rates.
"Even though we associate significant health hazards in taking drugs
like cocaine and morphine, high-fat/high-sugar foods may present even
more of a danger because of their accessibility and affordability,"
Honohan said.
[what about soda?]
yes and no
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