Ultra-processed foods are just as addictive as cigarettes and alcohol

There are few blisses greater than diving into a bag full of chips or munching on candy. There might be a good reason for that: According to a new study from the British Medical Journal by researchers in the United States, Spain, and Brazil, ultra-processed foods are just as addictive as cigarettes and alcohol.

The researchers reviewed 281 studies from over 35 countries, which used the Yale Food Addiction Scale to measure food addiction. The scale uses 11 different criteria for substance use disorder, such as withdrawals, craving, and continuing to use despite negative consequences. The researchers found that on average 14% of adults, 12% of children, and 32% of obese people had food addition. By comparison, 14% of adults have alcohol addiction and 18% cigarette addiction.  

Ultra-processed foods have high levels of refined carbohydrates and added fats (think of chocolate). Both of these release amounts of dopamine comparable to cigarettes or alcohol. Natural foods, meanwhile, typically have fats or carbs. For example, apples have carbs but very little fat and salmon has fat but zero carbs.

In addition, the researchers pointed out, flavor and texture additives could be a contributor because they make food more pleasurable to eat. Flavor and texture additives are incidentally also found in cigarettes.

“Research has generally focused on single ingredients in ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and further study is needed to investigate how UPF ingredients interact to increase addictive potential. It will also be important to explore at what dose and at what level of intake rewarding chemicals in UPFs are most addictive,” the researchers wrote.