1. Is Food Addictive?
A Scientific Analysis Of YOUR Diet
Casey Thaler
B.A., NASM-CPT, FNS
Molecular Structure
Of Caffeine
(1,3,7 Trimethylxanthine)
>

2. I’ll Save You Some Time…
 Yes, food is addictive.
“Junk food is food of little or no nutritional value
that is high in fat, sugar, and calories. In addition,
consumption of junk food has the ability to alter
brain activity in a manner similar to illegal drugs
like cocaine or heroin, meaning it can be just as
addictive. Junk food does not contain nutrients
that are beneficial to the human body. In most
cases, these foods are filled with harmful
carbohydrates, fats and cholesterol that do not
provide any useful energy. As a result, somebody
consuming junk food has reduced levels of essential
nutrients thereby causing weakness in the body.
This is why the addictive nature of these foods is
even more problematic.
Junk foods have been identified as a major cause of
heart diseases including myocardial infraction,
cardiac arrest and atherosclerosis. This is due to
the fact that junk food contains excessive amounts
of low-density lipoproteins and cholesterol that get
deposited on the inner linings of blood vessels.
Overall, junk food is very bad for your body and
should not be eaten frequently.”
Youth, Puffa. "P.U.F.F.A Youth." P.U.F.F.A Youth: The Scary Story of
Junk Food. N.p., 11 Apr. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
<http://puffayouth.blogspot.com/2012/05/scary-story-of-junk-
food.html>.
“Rats given extended access to high-fat high-sugar
food show behavioral and physiological changes
that are similar to those caused by drugs of abuse.
Johnson and Kenny examined rats using
behavioral models borrowed from drug-addiction
research, but, instead of being given access to
cocaine or heroin, the rats were given access to a
cafeteria-style diet of energy-dense (high fat and/or
high carbohydrate) food, including bacon, sausage,
cheesecake, pound cake, frosting and chocolate.
The diet had two behavioral effects that were
similar to those of exposure to addictive drugs.”
Epstein DH, Shaham Y. Cheesecake-eating rats and the question of food
addiction. Nat Neurosci. 2010;13(5):529-31.

3. The Longer Version…
 Certain compounds in food are chemically rewarding.
 Drug addicts are addicted to drugs. Obese people are addicted to food.
 The advent of agriculture, which caused the creation of our Neolithic
foods, could possibly be explained due to the rewards found in these then-
novel food sources.
Rada P, Avena NM, Hoebel BG. Daily bingeing on sugar repeatedly releases
dopamine in the accumbens shell. Neuroscience. 2005;134(3):737-44.
Avena NM, Bocarsly ME, Hoebel BG, Gold MS. Overlaps in the nosology of
substance abuse and overeating: the translational implications of "food addiction".
Curr Drug Abuse Rev. 2011;4(3):133-9.
“These unsolved and until-now unrelated problems may in fact solve each other. The answer, we
suggest, is this: cereals and dairy foods are not natural human foods, but rather are preferred
because they contain exorphins. This chemical reward was the incentive for the adoption of cereal
agriculture in the Neolithic. Regular self-administration of these substances facilitated the
behavioural changes that led to the subsequent appearance of civilisation.”
Wadley G, Martin A. The origins of agriculture: a biological perspective and a new hypothesis.
Australian Biologist 6: 96-105, June 1993.

4. Not JUST The Foods You Think…
Molecular Structure Of Gliadorphin
(Opioid Peptide Found In Wheat)
Molecular Structure Of Casomorphin
(Opioid Peptide Found In Dairy)

5. Your Brain And Reward
Nucleus Accumbens
“The brain regions involved in the sensation of pleasure and
reward are among those most affected by drugs.
The nucleus accumbens, together with the ventral tegmental area,
constitutes the central link in the reward circuit. The nucleus
accumbens is also one of the brain structures that is most closely
involved in drug dependency.
The nucleus accumbens appears to be involved in controlling our
motivations. Also, the frequent consumption of a drug is known to
tremendously increase the amount of the main neurotransmitter in
this part of the brain, dopamine. We can therefore better
understand the drug addict’s obsessive drive to keep seeking more
of the drug.”
Available at: http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/d/d_03/d_03_cr/d_03_cr_par/d_03_cr_par.html. Accessed
April 11, 2014.
Lawrence NS, Hinton EC, Parkinson JA, Lawrence AD. Nucleus accumbens response to food cues predicts
subsequent snack consumption in women and increased body mass index in those with reduced self-control.
Neuroimage. 2012;63(1):415-22.

6. Nucleus Accumbens And Food
“Hedonic over-consumption contributing to
obesity involves altered activation within the
mesolimbic dopamine system. Dysregulation of
dopamine signaling in the nucleus accumbens
shell (NAS) has been implicated in reward-
seeking behaviors, such as binge eating.”
Halpern CH, Tekriwal A, Santollo J, et al. Amelioration of binge eating by nucleus
accumbens shell deep brain stimulation in mice involves D2 receptor modulation. J
Neurosci. 2013;33(17):7122-9.

7. Sugar: The Addictive Model

8. Types Of Sugar
Glucose
Found in plants, also known as dextrose. Every cell in
the body can use it.
Sucrose
(Glucose + Fructose)
AKA table sugar, cane sugar, beet sugar, usually just
sugar.
Fructose
All forms, including fruits and juices, are commonly
added to foods and drinks for palatability and taste
enhancement, and for browning of some foods, such as
baked goods.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
(42% Glucose + 55% Fructose)
Mostly used in soft drinks, processed foods, cereals, and
baked goods.

9. Sugar Is Sugar Is Sugar.
Available at: http://www.cornnaturally.com/CornNaturally/media/Interior/Grid
Infographics/bloodstream.png?width=886&height=1081&ext=.png. Accessed April
12, 2014.
1. High fructose corn
syrup (HFCS) and
sucrose (table sugar) are
both processed
IDENTICALLY by the
body.
2. HFCS is NOT worse
than table sugar.
3. HFCS and table sugar
are BOTH equally bad.

10. Fructose = Problematic
Fructose is mostly processed by the
GLUT5 receptor in the liver.
It does not raise insulin levels, reduces
leptin, and increases trigylcerides.
Your body has no use for it.
It leads to overeating, due to lack of
satiety signal to hypothalamus.
Page KA, Chan O, Arora J, et al. Effects of fructose vs glucose on regional cerebral blood flow in
brain regions involved with appetite and reward pathways. JAMA. 2013;309(1):63-70.
Lustig RH. Fructose: metabolic, hedonic, and societal parallels with
ethanol. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010;110(9):1307-21.
Teff KL, Elliott SS, Tschöp M, et al. Dietary fructose reduces circulating
insulin and leptin, attenuates postprandial suppression of ghrelin, and
increases triglycerides in women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab.
2004;89(6):2963-72.

11. High Fructose Foods
Available at: http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-
000011000000000000000.html. Accessed April 12, 2014.

12. High Fructose Foods - Cont’d
Available at: http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-
000011000000000000000.html. Accessed April 12, 2014.

13. Fructose - Found In Fruit
Available at: http://www.discoverchiropractic.info/_/rsrc/1320881541390/class-handouts/fructose-
chart/Fructose Chart (fruit sugars).tiff. Accessed April 12, 2014.

14. How Sweet It Is…
Pure fructose (such as the kind found in fruit) is 40% SWEETER than table
sugar, which is already 50% fructose.
HFCS is 20%-60% SWEETER than table sugar, which is again, already 50%
fructose.
Glucose, which is found in plants and partially in some fruits, is NOT the
baseline measurement used. It is actually 20-30% LESS SWEET than the
baseline measurement, sucrose.
Available at: http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/549sweet.html. Accessed April 12, 2014.

15. Artificially Sweet
Artificial sweeteners are WORSE than table sugar (remember - that is 1/2
glucose and 1/2 fructose) in regards to how hyper-palatable they are.
Neotame is actually 13,000x sweeter (!) than table sugar.
Available at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/28/neotame-more-toxic-than-aspartame.aspx. Accessed April 12, 2014.
Available at: http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/549sweet.html. Accessed April 12, 2014.

16. No, Stevia Is Not Better
Available at: http://www.livescience.com/39601-stevia-facts-safety.html. Accessed April 12, 2014.
Yang Q. Gain weight by "going diet?" Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings:
Neuroscience 2010. Yale J Biol Med. 2010;83(2):101-8.

17. “Diet” Sweeteners Actually Make You Fatter
Yang Q. Gain weight by "going diet?" Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings:
Neuroscience 2010. Yale J Biol Med. 2010;83(2):101-8.

18. How Does Food Addiction Work?
Yang Q. Gain weight by "going diet?" Artificial sweeteners
and the neurobiology of sugar cravings: Neuroscience 2010.
Yale J Biol Med. 2010;83(2):101-8.
“Food reward consists of two
branches: sensory and
postingestive. In humans, gustatory
information perceived by taste
receptors on the tongue ascends
through the thalamus and
eventually terminates in the
anterior insula/frontal operculum
and the orbitofrontal cortex.
Amygdala makes reciprocal
connections along all levels of the
gustatory pathway.
Mesolimbic dopamine system is
also crucial for the hedonic
recognition of the stimulus and
feeling of satisfaction following
ingesting food with pleasant
tastes.”

19. “Bet You Can’t Eat JUST One!”
“We live in a world where food chemists
make foods ADDICTIVE for more
consumption.”
-Dr. Mathieu Lalonde, Ph.D, Organic Chemistry, Harvard University
Food chemists utilize a technique called
achieving the “bliss point”. This technique
involves combining fat, sugar and salt in just
the right ratios, so the food literally becomes
nearly IMPOSSIBLE to stop consuming.
Foods like this, it should be noted, are only
made in labs, and not found in nature.
What do food chemists use?
1. Sugar
2. Salt
3. Fat
Food manufacturers nearly ALWAYS make
sure 2 of these 3 are in their foods.
DONUT
Sugar + Fat
CHIP
Salt + Fat
CANDY BAR
Sugar + Fat

20. Available at: http://courses.bio.indiana.edu/L104-Bonner/F12/imagesF12/L8/BlissPoint.html. Accessed April 13, 2014.
The Bliss Point
For nutrients that we like and therefore seek out, there is a particular concentration that makes food most palatable.
1. FAT 2. SUGAR 3. SALT
These are nutrients that have been so important to us in our evolutionary history that natural selection favored genetic
variations that:
1. Enable us to taste these nutrients.
2. Make our brains respond with a "reward" [we like it, it tastes good].
The reward center of the brain gives us a little jolt of endorphins for our reward.
Endorphins are the endogenous morphine-like chemicals that work on the same neuronal receptors as opiate drugs.
3. Make our brains remember what we did to get that reward, and make us want to do it again.
This is run by the neruotransmitter, dopamine. Reward-seeking actions can become unbelievably powerful, which is what
addiction is.
In combination, sugar, fat, and salt act synergistically: combinations are far more addictive than any single one
alone. Mice, for instance, will work as hard to get a mixture of corn oil and sugar as they will to get cocaine.
The food industry tries very hard to make each food contain combinations of 2 or 3 of these nutrients at their Bliss
Points. It's done to encourage us to buy the food again, because we really like it.
That's why it's so hard to stay away from some of these foods. For those of us who are sensitive to the power of
endorphins and dopamine, it becomes virtually impossible not to over-eat.

21. Not Just Fast Food And Junk Food
Fukudome S, Yoshikawa M. Opioid peptides derived from wheat gluten: their isolation and characterization. FEBS Lett. 1992;296(1):107-11.
Henschen A, Lottspeich F, Brantl V, Teschemacher H. Novel opioid peptides derived from casein (beta-casomorphins). II. Structure of active components from bovine casein
peptone. Hoppe-Seyler's Z Physiol Chem. 1979;360(9):1217-24.
Huebner FR, Lieberman KW, Rubino RP, Wall JS. Demonstration of high opioid-like activity in isolated peptides from wheat gluten hydrolysates. Peptides.
1984;5(6):1139-47.

22. Grains
While grains are universally recommended as healthy,
they in fact contain a variety of problematic compounds.
Refined grains remove fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Whole grains pale in comparison to vegetables and fruit,
in terms of nutrient density.
Both refined and whole grains contain anti-nutrients
called phytates that block minerals like calcium,
magnesium, iron and zinc from being absorbed. Grains
then have sugar added to them (to increase palatability)
and are made into junk food.
Yes, this includes “healthy foods” like granola bars.
These foods are easy to overconsume, promote blood
sugar dysregulation, cravings and contain very few
bioavailable nutrients.
Gliadorphin is the opioid peptide found in wheat, derived
from gliadin. You likely know this compound from its
inclusion in the protein composite gluten.
Gliadin also causes a leaking of the gut, and zonulin
release, by binding to the CXCR3 receptor. Zonulin is a
protein that modulates the permeability of tight junctions
between cells of the wall of the digestive tract.
Molecular Structure Of Gliadorphin
(Opioid Peptide Found In Wheat)
Lammers KM, Lu R, Brownley J, et al. Gliadin induces an increase in intestinal permeability and
zonulin release by binding to the chemokine receptor CXCR3. Gastroenterology.
2008;135(1):194-204.e3.

23. Dairy
Dairy is generally recommended as healthy, but has many
downsides as well. These include the protein casein, the
protein whey, lactose, IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1)
and other issues.
Dairy also has the ability to provoke a histamine response.
This response can cause headaches, GI upset,
exacerbations of asthma and seasonal allergies.
Casein and whey contain immunoglobulins, insulin,
estrogens, and other growth factors. They can provoke an
unhealthy hormonal response.
As a result of these ingredients, dairy is also a hyper-
insulinogenic food, meaning it causes a large spike in
insulin.
The opioid peptides found in dairy are called
casomorphins. These have been studied for involvement in
a variety of mental diseases and disorders.
For example, Dr. Robert Cade has identified casomorphin
as a probable cause of attention deficit disorder. He also
found beta-casomorphin-7 in high concentrations in the
blood and urine of patients with either schizophrenia or
autism.
Hans Meisel and R. J. FitzGerald (2000). Opioid peptides encrypted in intact milk protein
sequences. British Journal of Nutrition, 84, pp 27-31. doi:10.1017/S000711450000221X.
Molecular Structure Of Casomorphin
(Opioid Peptide Found In Dairy)

24. Added Sugar
Has the equivalent of more than two teaspoons of sugar,
as much as two-plus Oreo cookies. It also delivers one-
third of the sodium recommended for a majority of
American adults for an entire day.
32 out of 33 breads on the shelf contain added sugar.
Coleslaw has 3.5 teaspoons (14 grams) of added sugar in
1 cup.
The American Heart Association recommends men limit
added sugar to 36 grams, or 9 teaspoons, per day.
Women should limit added sugar to 24 grams, or 6
teaspoons, each day.

25. Caffeine
1, 3, 7 Trimethylxanthine
Member of the alkaloid family
Alkaloids are typically toxic to other organisms
Caffeine, as an alkaloid, is a pesticide found in plants
Other alkaloids include: morphine, cocaine, nicotine, etc.
Highly addictive
(over 90% of humans consume)
Model drug of dependence
(tolerance, withdrawal)
Vasoconstrictor
(reduces CBF by 27% on average)
Neurostimulant
(binds to adenosine receptors)
Half life of 3 hours
Women metabolize differently than men
“If introduced today, it would NOT be allowed.”
-Dr. William Dement, Stanford University
Addicott MA, Yang LL, Peiffer AM, et al. The effect of daily caffeine use on
cerebral blood flow: How much caffeine can we tolerate?. Hum Brain Mapp.
2009;30(10):3102-14.

26. Diets That Work
Mediterranean Diet
Emphasizing fruits and vegetables, olive oil
and fish.
Japanese Diet
Three servings of fish a week, on average,
plenty of whole grains, vegetables and soy
products.
Kitavan Diet
Their dietary staples are tubers (yam, sweet
potato and taro), fruit, fish, and coconut. They
don’t use dairy products, alcohol, coffee, or
tea. Their intake of oils, margarine, cereals,
and sugar is negligible.
Inuit Diet
Primarily only meat and fat, very little fruits
and vegetables.

27. What Can You Do?
All successful diets contain REAL food.
Avoid liquid calories…
they are low in nutrients, high in
sugar/artificial sweeteners and are easy to
over-consume.
Eat protein…
it will keep you satiated and provides essential
amino acids.
Eat vegetables…
ad libitum, for their antioxidant content.
Eat healthy fats…
for their satiety and heart healthy benefits.
Eat small to moderate amounts of fruit and
starchy tubers…
for energy, while limiting fructose.

28. Contact Me
CASEY THALER
B.A., NASM-CPT, FNS
EatCleanTrainClean.com
Eat Clean, Train Clean®:
Eat Real Food, Change Your Life™
contact@EatCleanTrainClean.com
Publications I Write For:
Paleo Magazine®
www.PaleoMagOnline.com
Available At:
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PaleoHacks®
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Whole9®
www.Whole9Life.com