The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food

[kangofu]

The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
Source - NYTimes
By MICHAEL MOSS
Published: February 20, 2013On the evening of April 8, 1999, a long line of Town Cars and taxis pulled up to the Minneapolis headquarters of Pillsbury and discharged 11 men who controlled America’s largest food companies. Nestlé was in attendance, as were Kraft and

Comments

[skellington1]

I read the entire thing.

And now I really want a bag of chips.

*brain failure*

[keestone]

I would be having the exact same response if I hadn't been pigging out on banana muffins shortly before reading. (Still sugar and fat, but sugar and fat that I mixed together and put in the oven myself.) Sigh. It's disturbing how suggestible we are.

[nesmith]

I must be weird, because I read the whole thing as well, and I don't want any of it. Some leaves of plain romaine lettuce with a dusting of parmesan sounds really good right about now . . .

[halfshellvenus]

Actually, I DID find myself thinking about those bags of baby carrots. Which we do buy, and do eat. Some solid crunching would really hit the spot right now. ;)

[nesmith]

I have to admit, the first thing I did when I got home was hit the homemade chicken flavored crackers with some merlot wine jelly and bergenost cheese on the side . . . and somewhere my hamburger/pizza/KFC-loving inner child is weeping.

[nikoel]

That sounds delicious and you should be pleased with yourself!

[nesmith]

I'm just thankful that Grandpa's Cheesebarn in Ashland OH has a just "eh?"-enough name that it got me to pull off the freeway and check it out. I've never eaten jelly in my LIFE and my idea of fancy cheese is grated parmesan over pasta.

[nikoel]

I just started making cheese and it has already taken my love for cheese to an obsession.

[nesmith]

I've never been a big cheese person (aside from the "normal" kinds--cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella, swiss, etc.) but I've found my palate expanding a little and more types are becoming appealing.

[countrygirl_914]

See, people always say that, but for me carrots aren't the right kind of crunch, if that makes sense. Also, pretty much all raw veggies are pretty blech to me without some kind of dip.

[encircleme]

pro-tip for (Somewhat) healthier dip, take dip flavor packet, mix into plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream, dip away!

[natyanayaki]

Yeah, I noticed that my taste buds had to acclimate to recognizing the flavors in raw veggies. It's like my taste buds at first expected the flavors of the dips, and then my mind was disappointed when that didn't happen...but then eventually expected the flavors of the veggies. Though I still have dips, I just try to make them usually with beans, and on special occasions with nuts.

Also, when I do want to get the "chips" crunch, sometimes I get bean chips (not that often), but usually I'll bake leafy greens at a really low temperature, or I'll make baked fries (sweet or regular potatoes). That usually helps. :-)

[maynardsong]

For real. And frankly, my body itself is viscerally averse to a lot of junk food these days. I'll eat Cheetohs if there's literally nothing else around, but otherwise? Ugh, no thanks. And after reading articles like this? Makes me stick to unprocessed food even more...

[nesmith]

Over the last couple years I've completely shifted my eating habits, cutting out high fructose corn syrup and most processed food. I eat simple, raw foods with a few steam pouch vegetables and I let myself have some junk every once in a while, and I found that I just don't want it anymore. I guess I must be weird because I don't really miss it. Probably because on the rare occasions that I want a double Whopper I let myself have one.

[natyanayaki]

I've noticed that it's gotten to the point that my cravings have changed. I no longer crave Lays or Pringles, but if I go too long without broccoli, lettuce or...my gosh kale, I get focus issues.

[nesmith]

I snacked today on an entire head's worth of romaine lettuce leaves; take a leaf or two, put a little shredded parmesan in the middle, roll it up, and I swear it tasted better than anything I could have gotten out of the vending machine.

Dammit, now I'm craving more and I'm out of both. Boo. :(