Eating healthy can be extremely difficult to do. Even though you know it’s the right thing to do, sometimes you can’t help yourself. Saying you want to eat healthy is one thing; however, actually eating healthy is another. We love to snack on junk food but the junk food effects can be devastating. While we could be snacking on some healthy treats and have our kids snacking on healthy treats, instead we tend to scarf down chips, cookies, and candy bars. We all know how bad eating these foods are yet we never stop. Part of the reason for this is that junk food companies are intentionally making their products have negative and addictive effects on their consumers.
Junk food is literally an addiction. According to a 2010 CNN study, foods high in fat and high in calories affect the brain in the same way that cocaine and heroin do. The pleasure center in the brain is activated and can cause overeating. The scientists who conducted the study say their test subjects know they are overeating, they know what they are doing is bad for them, yet they lack the willpower to stop.
What is worse is these food companies know exactly what they’re doing and are doing very little about it. According to a 2013 New York Times article entitled “The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food”, companies have perfected junk food down to a science. These junk food companies know exactly what makes people eat and overeat their products. It’s a combination of specific tastes, the crunch of the product, and how the product feels in your mouth. There is even a specific formula these companies use. It’s this:
Despite all the addictive power that’s in food, every single one of us has the willpower and the guts to make a decision to eat healthier. While it would be nice to have tougher governmental regulation, none of that would be necessary if we educated ourselves and made the conscious effort to eat better.
There are also many bloggers out there who do incredible work with helping everyone eat healthy. Two in particular are Averie Sunshine and Anjali Shah who both do excellent work producing healthy yet tasty recipes. Averie Sunshine has many great recipes like Sweet Baked Potato and Zucchini Fritters, Snickerdoodle Granola Bars, and Oatmeal Bars with Pumpkin and Peanut Butter. Anjali Shah also has some amazing recipes like Buffalo Wing Popcorn, Brown Rice Cakes with Almond Butter, and Super Healthy Kale Chips.
Remember, no matter what, you have the power to eat better.
Sincerely,
Adam Kaplan
What is your favorite healthy thing to snack on as opposed to eating junk food?
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I’ve recently been trying to have a healthier lifestyle, which meant I needed to cut down on junk food (sad day). A friend told me about kale chips, and although I’ve never had kale, I decided to give them a try. I tossed the kale with olive oil and salt and put them to bake. So easy! I think I may have used too much oil as some didn’t crisp up well, but overall they turned out great! They actually do get crispy and are pretty tasty. Can’t wait to try them with some seasonings!