Eating out with friends, or just eating it while watching our favourite tv show. Junk food seems to be the perfect combination. But why is that? Why we love junk food?- It's tastier and more satisfying. Because is high in calories, high in sugar, high in salt, high in trans and saturated fat.
- Foods high in sugar, fat and simple carbohydrates releases high levels of dopamine in the brain, causing feelings of pleasure, happiness and reward.
- Sugar is highly addictive. That's why we crave certain foods all the time and feel down when we don't have it. It's the dopamine cycle.
- Is cheaper. Healthier foods tend to be more expensive.
- It's appealing to our senses: sight, smell, taste, touch.
- It's everywhere. It's easy to get it.
- It's quicker. We order fast food and in a few minutes, we are eating it.
- Emotional eating. Many times, we eat food not because we are hungry, but to relieve stress, boredom or negative emotions, like sadness. Junk food provides temporary distraction, comfort and a peak of instantaneous pleasure, happiness (dopamine).
