We know that junk food is not healthy for our bodies, but we still crave it. We also know that junk food can cause a variety of ailments to use, but we still love it. Would you not want to know the reason why we do so? There is some science behind our junk food craving too.
Pleasurable sensations
Addiction to junk food items is not simply our hunger that demands any type of food. It is our craving that leads to a pleasurable sensation in us to desire a particular food item. There are certain types of tastes and looks of the food that satisfy each individual. In fact, several companies conduct researches to understand the kinds of smells and tastes, which people love. Accordingly, such junk foods are created that appeal everybody through the kind of sensation they generate within a person.
Brain chemicals
There are certain chemicals in our brain that are also responsible for our junk food cravings. One of these brain chemicals is dopamine that influences concentration and learning. While experiencing a fresh thing, dopamine is released in our brain. In togetherness with some other chemicals like opioids, our brain triggers pleasurable sensations, as discussed above. These sensations make us do the same thing repeatedly. This also happens in case of our consumption of junk food that we repeatedly do because of such appealing sensations.
Programming of brain
One reason to crave junk food, which has been cited by some experts, is that we are programmed to eat such food from prehistoric times. In those times, people used to eat fatty and high-calories foods in order to survive. This also happened due to their brain chemicals. Now that we are programmed to consume such sugary and fatty foods, we are recommended by our brain to continue doing the same.
