What Makes Junk Food Addictive?
Mark Hyman
Feb 12, 2024
Mindsip insights from this episode:
Utilize salt to mask metallic taste in processed foods
Salt is used in processed foods like cornflakes not just for flavor, but to mask unpleasant metallic 'off notes' inherent to the ingredients.
Beware of vanishing calorie trick in puffy snacks
Puffy snacks like Cheetos are designed with 'vanishing caloric density,' melting in the mouth to trick the brain into thinking the calories have disappeared, encouraging overconsumption.
Prioritize health over convenience by avoiding unhealthy snacks
A former top Kraft executive admitted he stopped eating his company's snack products when he couldn't exercise, knowing he couldn't control his consumption.
Reduce high-fructose corn syrup to prevent leaky gut
High-fructose corn syrup can deplete the energy in your gut lining, which is required to maintain tight cell junctions and prevent a leaky gut.
Avoid high-fructose corn syrup due to mercury contamination
A scientist discovered that many samples of high-fructose corn syrup contained high levels of mercury due to a mercury-dependent process used in its manufacturing.
Decode your genes with every bite of food
Every bite of food acts as code that changes your gene expression, inflammation, and microbiome in real-time, not just over decades.
Understand Procter & Gamble's influence on AHA and vegetable oil recommendations
The American Heart Association became a financial powerhouse after Procter & Gamble, the maker of Crisco, designated them for a radio show fundraiser, leading to their subsequent recommendation of vegetable oils.
Avoid trans-free oils due to instability risks
When fast-food chains switched to trans-free vegetable oils, the oils were so unstable that workers' used uniforms would spontaneously combust due to the volatile oxidation products.
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