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0 / 37 Fotos
Most addictive foods - You'll see a common trend in the following 17 foods, as they're usually high in sugar, fat, or both (and they're terribly delicious).
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1 / 37 Fotos
17. Steak - Who would've thought the steak-craze stemmed from something deeper? Addictive-like eating behavior is more than just a craving or lack of willpower.
© Shutterstock
2 / 37 Fotos
16. Gummy candy - Addictive eating is often linked to processed foods, like gummies, which are high in added sugar and/or fat.
© Shutterstock
3 / 37 Fotos
15. Breakfast cereal - But processed foods like cereal taste so good! Unfortunately, they're often engineered to be "hyperpalatable," making your taste buds dance for joy. Yes, even wholegrain varieties.
© Shutterstock
4 / 37 Fotos
14. Popcorn (buttered) - Fatty, salty, and deceivingly light, popcorn is difficult to stop eating, especially in front of a screen.
© Shutterstock
5 / 37 Fotos
13. Rolls (plain) - Addictive foods also contain high amounts of calories, and cause major blood sugar imbalances, which can result in those crazy carb cravings.
© Shutterstock
6 / 37 Fotos
12. Fried chicken - While you might think it's the mouthwatering food itself, the biggest contributor to addictive-like eating is your brain.
© Shutterstock
7 / 37 Fotos
11. Bacon - The brain has a reward center that is activated and starts releasing dopamine and other feel-good chemicals when we eat, and even more when we eat things like bacon.
© Shutterstock
8 / 37 Fotos
10. Cheese - The brain's reward center explains why most people enjoy eating, and why some seek food, like cheese, for those happy feelings.
© Shutterstock
9 / 37 Fotos
9. Cake - The reward system isn't all bad, as it ensures we eat enough food to get all the energy and nutrients that we need, but foods like cake can throw the system off.
© Shutterstock
10 / 37 Fotos
8. Soda (not diet) - The amount of sugar in soda is appalling, and junk food like this releases huge amounts of feel-good chemicals—but they do not sustain them.
© Shutterstock
11 / 37 Fotos
7. Cheeseburgers - A cheeseburger, for example, yields a much more powerful reward in the brain as opposed to an unprocessed sandwich, but the latter will leave you feeling better.
© Shutterstock
12 / 37 Fotos
6. French fries - Hyper-rewarding foods, like fatty and salty fries, cause your brain to seek more reward through cravings.
© Shutterstock
13 / 37 Fotos
5. Ice cream - Ever heard the ice cream tub in the freezer calling your name? The immense reward and cravings can lock you in a vicious cycle of food addiction.
© Shutterstock
14 / 37 Fotos
4. Cookies - Hardly anyone can just eat one cookie.
© Shutterstock
15 / 37 Fotos
3. Chips - The combination of airiness, crunch, and taste bud-tingling flavor only heighten this food's addictive quality.
© Shutterstock
16 / 37 Fotos
2. Chocolate - If you've binged on chocolate, you're not alone. But, luckily, there are ways to detox.
© Shutterstock
17 / 37 Fotos
1. Pizza - Somewhat unsurprisingly, the food the world is obsessed with is also the most addictive. This may vary depending on the kind of pizza.
© Shutterstock
18 / 37 Fotos
Least addictive foods - You'll find that the following 17 least addictive foods are mostly whole, unprocessed foods.
© Shutterstock
19 / 37 Fotos
17. Nuts - Natural nuts, as opposed to roasted and salted nuts (though still high in fat and calories), are much safer bets.
© Shutterstock
20 / 37 Fotos
16. Eggs - Most people don't actually crave the egg itself, but rather the fried up, salty, paired-with-bacon combination of fat and flavor.
© Shutterstock
21 / 37 Fotos
15. Chicken breast - While chicken breast is a healthy option, you should probably avoid eating things like chicken salad when eating out.
© Shutterstock
22 / 37 Fotos
14. Pretzels - Not all carbs are terribly addictive, thank goodness.
© Shutterstock
23 / 37 Fotos
13. Crackers (plain) - It's the cracker's partner, cheese, which is more likely the problem.
© Shutterstock
24 / 37 Fotos
12. Water - Though it may seem like a joke, water gets those feel-good chemicals flowing, just without any of the negative effects of fat, sugar, or salt (though also lacking nutrients your body needs).
© Shutterstock
25 / 37 Fotos
11. Granola bar - This of course depends on whether you're munching on a healthy granola bar or a highly processed one dipped in chocolate.
© Shutterstock
26 / 37 Fotos
10. Strawberries - Ever eaten too many strawberries and had a stomach ache? If you answered yes, what kind of strawberries are you eating?
© Shutterstock
27 / 37 Fotos
9. Corn (no butter or salt) - Some people wouldn't even consider eating corn without butter or salt, but therein lies the addictive quality.
© Shutterstock
28 / 37 Fotos
8. Salmon - This fish actually helps release more stable happy hormones that won't leave you feeling sluggish.
© Shutterstock
29 / 37 Fotos
7. Bananas - There are certainly people who go bananas for bananas, but it's not the thing that calls you into the kitchen at midnight.
© Shutterstock
30 / 37 Fotos
6. Broccoli - If you're focusing on less addictive foods, do it right and learn how to pick the best fruit and vegetables.
© Shutterstock
31 / 37 Fotos
5. Brown rice - White rice has a higher Glycemic Index, meaning it spikes the blood sugar and causes more cravings than brown rice.
© Shutterstock
32 / 37 Fotos
4. Apples - Ever had a problem stopping after eating a single apple? In fact, apples are often used to curb less healthy sugar cravings.
© Shutterstock
33 / 37 Fotos
3. Beans (no sauce) - The magical fruit! Beans offer a great amount of protein and other nutrients.
© Shutterstock
34 / 37 Fotos
2. Carrots - It's a good thing that carrots aren't as addictive as pizza, because eating too much beta-carotene can make your skin turn yellowish!
© Shutterstock
35 / 37 Fotos
1. Cucumbers
- Stay cool as a cucumber with this least-addictive food. See also: Foods that help combat stress, depression, and anxiety
© Shutterstock
36 / 37 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 37 Fotos
Most addictive foods - You'll see a common trend in the following 17 foods, as they're usually high in sugar, fat, or both (and they're terribly delicious).
© Shutterstock
1 / 37 Fotos
17. Steak - Who would've thought the steak-craze stemmed from something deeper? Addictive-like eating behavior is more than just a craving or lack of willpower.
© Shutterstock
2 / 37 Fotos
16. Gummy candy - Addictive eating is often linked to processed foods, like gummies, which are high in added sugar and/or fat.
© Shutterstock
3 / 37 Fotos
15. Breakfast cereal - But processed foods like cereal taste so good! Unfortunately, they're often engineered to be "hyperpalatable," making your taste buds dance for joy. Yes, even wholegrain varieties.
© Shutterstock
4 / 37 Fotos
14. Popcorn (buttered) - Fatty, salty, and deceivingly light, popcorn is difficult to stop eating, especially in front of a screen.
© Shutterstock
5 / 37 Fotos
13. Rolls (plain) - Addictive foods also contain high amounts of calories, and cause major blood sugar imbalances, which can result in those crazy carb cravings.
© Shutterstock
6 / 37 Fotos
12. Fried chicken - While you might think it's the mouthwatering food itself, the biggest contributor to addictive-like eating is your brain.
© Shutterstock
7 / 37 Fotos
11. Bacon - The brain has a reward center that is activated and starts releasing dopamine and other feel-good chemicals when we eat, and even more when we eat things like bacon.
© Shutterstock
8 / 37 Fotos
10. Cheese - The brain's reward center explains why most people enjoy eating, and why some seek food, like cheese, for those happy feelings.
© Shutterstock
9 / 37 Fotos
9. Cake - The reward system isn't all bad, as it ensures we eat enough food to get all the energy and nutrients that we need, but foods like cake can throw the system off.
© Shutterstock
10 / 37 Fotos
8. Soda (not diet) - The amount of sugar in soda is appalling, and junk food like this releases huge amounts of feel-good chemicals—but they do not sustain them.
© Shutterstock
11 / 37 Fotos
7. Cheeseburgers - A cheeseburger, for example, yields a much more powerful reward in the brain as opposed to an unprocessed sandwich, but the latter will leave you feeling better.
© Shutterstock
12 / 37 Fotos
6. French fries - Hyper-rewarding foods, like fatty and salty fries, cause your brain to seek more reward through cravings.
© Shutterstock
13 / 37 Fotos
5. Ice cream - Ever heard the ice cream tub in the freezer calling your name? The immense reward and cravings can lock you in a vicious cycle of food addiction.
© Shutterstock
14 / 37 Fotos
4. Cookies - Hardly anyone can just eat one cookie.
© Shutterstock
15 / 37 Fotos
3. Chips - The combination of airiness, crunch, and taste bud-tingling flavor only heighten this food's addictive quality.
© Shutterstock
16 / 37 Fotos
2. Chocolate - If you've binged on chocolate, you're not alone. But, luckily, there are ways to detox.
© Shutterstock
17 / 37 Fotos
1. Pizza - Somewhat unsurprisingly, the food the world is obsessed with is also the most addictive. This may vary depending on the kind of pizza.
© Shutterstock
18 / 37 Fotos
Least addictive foods - You'll find that the following 17 least addictive foods are mostly whole, unprocessed foods.
© Shutterstock
19 / 37 Fotos
17. Nuts - Natural nuts, as opposed to roasted and salted nuts (though still high in fat and calories), are much safer bets.
© Shutterstock
20 / 37 Fotos
16. Eggs - Most people don't actually crave the egg itself, but rather the fried up, salty, paired-with-bacon combination of fat and flavor.
© Shutterstock
21 / 37 Fotos
15. Chicken breast - While chicken breast is a healthy option, you should probably avoid eating things like chicken salad when eating out.
© Shutterstock
22 / 37 Fotos
14. Pretzels - Not all carbs are terribly addictive, thank goodness.
© Shutterstock
23 / 37 Fotos
13. Crackers (plain) - It's the cracker's partner, cheese, which is more likely the problem.
© Shutterstock
24 / 37 Fotos
12. Water - Though it may seem like a joke, water gets those feel-good chemicals flowing, just without any of the negative effects of fat, sugar, or salt (though also lacking nutrients your body needs).
© Shutterstock
25 / 37 Fotos
11. Granola bar - This of course depends on whether you're munching on a healthy granola bar or a highly processed one dipped in chocolate.
© Shutterstock
26 / 37 Fotos
10. Strawberries - Ever eaten too many strawberries and had a stomach ache? If you answered yes, what kind of strawberries are you eating?
© Shutterstock
27 / 37 Fotos
9. Corn (no butter or salt) - Some people wouldn't even consider eating corn without butter or salt, but therein lies the addictive quality.
© Shutterstock
28 / 37 Fotos
8. Salmon - This fish actually helps release more stable happy hormones that won't leave you feeling sluggish.
© Shutterstock
29 / 37 Fotos
7. Bananas - There are certainly people who go bananas for bananas, but it's not the thing that calls you into the kitchen at midnight.
© Shutterstock
30 / 37 Fotos
6. Broccoli - If you're focusing on less addictive foods, do it right and learn how to pick the best fruit and vegetables.
© Shutterstock
31 / 37 Fotos
5. Brown rice - White rice has a higher Glycemic Index, meaning it spikes the blood sugar and causes more cravings than brown rice.
© Shutterstock
32 / 37 Fotos
4. Apples - Ever had a problem stopping after eating a single apple? In fact, apples are often used to curb less healthy sugar cravings.
© Shutterstock
33 / 37 Fotos
3. Beans (no sauce) - The magical fruit! Beans offer a great amount of protein and other nutrients.
© Shutterstock
34 / 37 Fotos
2. Carrots - It's a good thing that carrots aren't as addictive as pizza, because eating too much beta-carotene can make your skin turn yellowish!
© Shutterstock
35 / 37 Fotos
1. Cucumbers
- Stay cool as a cucumber with this least-addictive food. See also: Foods that help combat stress, depression, and anxiety
© Shutterstock
36 / 37 Fotos
What are the most (and least) addictive foods?
Some foods are more addictive than drugs
© Shutterstock
A strikingly high number of people are addicted to food, and many don’t even know it. Using the Yale Food Addiction Scale, researchers at the University of Michigan studied addictive-like eating in 518 participants, asking them to rate how problematic 35 foods are for them on a scale from 1 (not addictive) to 7 (extremely addictive). A whopping 92% of participants had addictive-like eating behavior towards some foods. Click through to see what they found to be the most and least addictive, as reported by Healthline.
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