Unlike gambling, smoking and drinking addictions, you have to eat to live. This makes it tougher to spot and treat food addiction.
People aren't addicted to carbohydrates because carbs include carrots and apples. The addiction is to processed foods.
Top addictive foods are as follows:
- chocolate
- ice cream
- french fries
- chips
- pizza
- cookies
- cheeseburgers
- soda
- cake
- buttered popcorn
When you do something quickly and frequently it becomes an addiction. The people who can moderate are the ones who aren't actual addicts. The folks who can't stop are addicts. The key for addicts is to cut out sugars and processed foods. Eating natural foods will help.
Listen in as Dr. Vera Tarman discusses food addiction.
Dr. Vera Tarman, MD, M.Sc, FCFP, ABAM, is the medical director of Renascent, Canada’s largest substance abuse treatment center. She has been speaking internationally about food addiction at public lectures, scientific conferences and the media for the last five years. She is currently heading their inaugural (pilot) food addiction program. She is the author of Food Junkies: the Truth about Food Addiction.