When it comes to maintaining an optimal weight, knowledge is key.  We often think that our lack of will power is the problem.  But it’s no coincidence that Doritos and Oreos are addictive. The food industry manufactures flavor-enhanced foods which are crave and binge worthy.  The more of them we eat the more addictive they become.  The more addictive they become the more money the food industry makes.   

Mother Nature provides delicious whole foods which are nutritious, lower in calories and more filling.  These should make up the bulk of our diet for optimal weight maintenance, health and wellness.  Vegetables and fruits are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Instead of eating less to lose weight, we can actually eat larger portions of these nutrient-dense foods.  Unfortunately, only 10 percent of Americans eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables.

Foods to Avoid or Limit

Hyper-Palatable Foods

Hyper-palatable foods are mostly processed foods with high amounts of fat, sugar, salt, carbs and/or artificial flavorings.  They contain ingredients which make us crave and overeat them.  These foods have a potent effect on our brain.  They over-activate our reward center while overriding our sense of feeling full.  

Hyper-palatable foods include chips, doughnuts, cookies, cake, cheesecake, bacon, mac and cheese, milk chocolate, cheese dip, soda, cheeseburgers, pizza, french fries, cereal, muffins, processed meats, gummies and hot dogs.  

Hyper-palatable foods contain tantalizing combinations of sugar and fat, as in ice cream, salt and fat, as in bacon or carbs and salt, as in pretzels.  These foods cause cravings, are loaded with empty calories, spike our blood sugar and don’t leave us satisfied.  

Most of the American Diet is made up of hyper-palatable foods.  Even worse, half of the food marketed as having less salt, sugar or fat is also hyper-palatable.  It is clear that the food industry’s goal, as a whole, is their profit rather than our health.

Why It’s Best to Avoid or Limit Hyper-Palatable Foods

We are not here to vilify any specific food.  For some of us, eating healthy most of the time allows for the occasional treat without repercussions.  

However, in The Dorito Effect, Mark Schatzker warns that we have messed with evolution and now crave the wrong foods.  The food industry’s flavor technology chemically manipulates our taste buds.  Their hyper-palatable foods are abundant, cheap and easy to find.  This leads to frequent snacking and larger portion sizes causing many of us to gain weight.  This is one of the main reasons America is currently facing an obesity epidemic.

Hyper-palatable foods stimulate the release of dopamine, opioids and serotonin.  The effect is so powerful that rats have been shown to eat hyper-palatable foods even while being electrocuted.  These foods don’t satisfy the nutrient requirements of the microbiome in our gut  so they tend to leave us hungry for more.  

The most addictive hyper-palatable foods are 50 percent fat and 50 percent sugar.  These include baked goods and ice cream.  Eating them regularly can reinforce a negative habit loop.  

Hyper-palatable foods disrupt appetite regulation.  It is best to avoid or limit foods that trigger an addictive response if you are trying to lose weight.

Foods To Help Lose or Maintain a Healthy Weight

High-Volume Foods

High-volume foods are foods that are low in calories per serving size.  They allow you to have larger portions without sabotaging your weight loss goals.  High-volume foods include broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, onions, peppers, spinach, lettuce, kale, chia seeds, cottage cheese, eggs, oatmeal, fish, soup, lean meat, butternut squash, zucchini, potatoes, legumes, quinoa, Greek yogurt and fruit.

A Balanced Diet of Mainly Whole Foods With Plenty of Protein

If you are trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, you want to emphasize high-volume foods and limit or avoid hyper-palatable staples. 

Choose larger quantities of nutrient-dense foods with fewer calories.  Focus on food volume rather than on counting calories.  Potatoes are seven times more filling than croissants.  The calories in ½ cup of yogurt-covered raisins are the same as in a whole serving of Greek yogurt and a full cup of grapes.

Try replacing ice cream with yogurt, pretzels with rice cakes, crackers with nuts, chips with popcorn, cake with oatmeal and cookies with fruit.   You don’t have to change your entire diet overnight but every small step you take will have a positive impact.

Make sure you have enough protein during the day to avoid cravings.  Protein will stabilize your blood sugar, promote lean muscle mass, increase your metabolism and lower cravings.  You can add eggs, egg whites or egg substitute to increase the protein and volume of many foods.

Try to add more fruits and vegetables to your meals.  Salads, oatmeal, smoothies, omelets and sauces can all benefit from additional whole foods.

The Takeaway

The majority of processed foods are purposely engineered to be hyper-palatable in order to be profitable.  That means you are likely to crave and over consume them.  These include foods that are marketed for weight loss.  Junk food and most fast food releases massive amounts of feel-good chemicals making us crave and overindulge in them.  

Whole foods are healthier, lower in calories and ultimately more satisfying.  They contain the nutrients and energy our body needs.  Whole foods take longer to eat than processed foods and provide a steady release of energy and more stable blood sugar levels.  We  are designed to consume certain amounts of nutrient-dense whole foods.  Eating a balanced diet of mostly whole foods with plenty of protein allows us to self-regulate portion sizes, daily intake and occasional treats.  

Perhaps one day hyper-palatable labels will appear on grocery store items.  Until then, the food industry will keep cranking out tempting combinations of hazardous foods.  We need to decide if we want empty calories that will fatten us up or valuable nutrients to look and feel our best.  It is up to us to prioritize our health and wellness by choosing from Mother Nature’s Bounty instead.

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Sciencedaily.com;  www.healthline.com;  www.newsweek.com;  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov;  verywellfit.com;  countryliving.com;  slashgeor.com;  kaynutrition.com;  cheatdaydesign.com;  www.ift.org;  zoemorosini.com