Designed to Over Eat
“What just happened?! I DEVOURED that bag of chips and I wasn’t even hungry. I’m out of control.”
It’s not you, it’s them.
I’m going to let you in on a “not so little” secret: Processed foods are scientifically engineered to be irresistible and easy to consume in large quantities. If you feel like you can’t stop, someone somewhere is getting a promotion.
In this post, I’ll tell you how the big guys do it (please take a seat) and I’ll give you some tools to help you break free.
Let’s start with this:
If you feel out of control around certain foods, you’re not undisciplined and you’re not crazy.
It has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with science.
It’s the perfect combo of sugar, fat and salt = undeniable deliciousness.
Also called stimuli stacking, combining 2 or more flavors to create a hyper-palatable food.
There’s a WHOLE industry (cough, processed foods, cough, CocaCola & PepsiCo) who’s sole purpose to is to SELL and they’ll do it by LITERALLY coming up with the perfect combination/equation of salty and sweet, crunchy and melt in your mouth + intelligent/devious advertising. These foods are altered to hit as many pleasure centers as they can, from our brains to our bellies. From the moment you see them to the moment you finish the bag.
Doesn’t that make you kind of mad? It should.
Because diet culture turns around and tells US it’s OUR fault for not being able to stop eating or feel out of control, which is how the U.S. weight loss market has grown to be worth $72 billion dollars. It’s sort of like they’re working hand-in-hand (MIC DROP).
Now, let’s explore a few methods that the food industry uses to make processed foods irresistible.
Extrusion:
Grains are processed through a machine that destroys most of their nutrients, enzymes, protein and fiber content and transforms them into light, crispy, and easy-to-digest (aka you don’t get as full as fast) cereals, chips, crackers, etc.
Emulsification:
These ingredients smooth and thicken texture to improve “mouth feel” and make things feel richer, creamier and smoother. Think of things like ice cream and flavored yogurt. Mind you, there are great ways to naturally emulsify (i.e. using an egg) but more often than not, chemical emulsifiers are used.
Flavor Enhancers:
Artificial favoring, MSG, etc. Used because they’re the CHEAP way to add flavor to food, instead of using… well.. real food ingredients (like spices) and they don’t change a product’s texture so you can keep things light and crispy.
Coloring Agents:
Because we’re very visual beings, we like to eat things that look good. Companies will use coloring agents like Yellow #5, Red #40, Caramel coloring, etc. to make foods look more appealing. Problem is there has been a lot of research linking artificial coloring to behavioral problems in children. SOME companies have now started using natural dyes like turmeric, beet, etc., but not nearly enough.
These big food manufacturers have literal food scientists that use a formula call The Big 5:
Calorie Dense - Make it extra palatable.
Intensely Flavored - Perfect combo of sugar, fat and salt.
Immediately Delicious - Instant gratification to your pleasure sensors - brain to belly.
Easy to Eat - 10 bites or less to make sure you eat a lot and quickly (aka no time for fullness signals to chime in).
Melted Down Easily - Even easier for you to consume more.
Products have to hit those 5 criteria or they’re not sent to market, and when they do pass, there’s a whole other part of the equation that plays into this…
Aside from the actual food science itself, let’s talk about the Marketing WIZ behind the labeling.
Processed foods come in really bright, fun, loud packaging.
They’re endorsed by fun characters and celebrities that apparently know what’s best for us (rolls eyes).
They hide behind self-care messages and say things like…
“You deserve this.”
“Take a break.”
“You deserve better.”
They persuade you by using different appeals to rhetoric: logos, ethos, pathos, and kairos.
Logos - aka appeal to reason
Ethos - aka appeal to character or credibility
Pathos - aka appeal to empathy
Kairos - aka appeal to timeliness or opportunity
(I won’t go into all of those in this post)
They sometimes even hide behind “healthier” buzzwords like Organic, Vegan, Gluten-Free.
Yes, “Organic, Dairy, Gluten Free Almond Flour Made With Water from NYC Crackers” are still considered processed.
Shoot, they even know how to make foods SOUND delicious using edible vocabulary. For example, I’m currently downing these Dark Chocolate Mint Creams that are “Dreamy Peppermint Creams Drenched in Luscious Dark Chocolate.” I mean, who DOESN’T read that and go, “Nah, not today.”
“HAHA OK I’M CRYING WHAT THE HELL DO I DO PLEASE HELP ME.
“If foods are created by design to make me overeat and over consume it feels like there’s nothing I can do about it, except completely cut these things out - and that’s pretty much impossible.”
Yeah, I know, like I said, I’m writing this as I’m eating Dark Chocolate Mint Creams.
The answer isn’t to cut them all out. I would never do that to you, or to me.
I don’t believe in sugar detoxes (just a recipe for binging on sugar later).
I don’t believe in cutting whole food groups out (give me all the carbs).
I don’t believe in calorie counting (who the hell has time for that).
I don’t believe in never eating processed foods.
Here is what I do believe in:
FIRST: Making sure you’re eating enough.
If you find you’re constantly binging or overeating, the FIRST step would be to make sure you’re actually eating enough and not depriving yourself of food, as that will almost always result in some sort of binge eating. IF you’re eating enough (aka eating enough and not actually hungry when munching) then you can continue reading.
Gaining awareness about what you eat and how often you eat it.
Oftentimes we don’t think twice about the foods we put into our body. We eat things because they’re available, cheap or because they sound good, without thinking about whether that food is actually good for you (in whatever context that means in that moment). Processed foods are OK sometimes (you are NOT a bad person for eating processed foods), but if you’re going for long-term health, start noticing where you can possibly add some more whole foods that are going to give you the nutrients you need and keep you nice and full and energize throughout the day.
Getting curious about why you eat the things you eat.
If it’s not for hunger, we’re using food to satisfy another need. That’s not always a bad thing, food has a time and place to satisfy feelings (I still sometimes use food as a way to procrastinate when I’m stressed), but in the grand scheme of things, always using food as a crutch or go to means you’re not resolving underlying issues you’re facing and your situation will never heal itself. So, get curious about why you eat certain foods when you’re not hungry and ask yourself what you really need in that moment.
Being mindful of how you feel when you eat certain things.
I will say, I don’t like elimination diets (unless absolutely medically necessary) but one thing they do provide sometimes is insight into how certain foods make you feel. If you’re constantly feeling things like bloating, burping, gassy, indigestion, acid reflux, lethargic, tired, etc., chances are what you’re eating is wreaking havoc on your digestive system and it’s time to take a step back. You don’t need to do a whole diet to figure this out, it can be much simpler than that - observation. Don’t just take these uncomfortable body signals and roll with them, get curious and ask yourself if there’s a pattern or common denominator.
Taking a look at the habits and rituals you’ve created using food.
Habits are powerful, for better or for worse. Hack the Habit Loop:
Instead of
Cue: Tough day at work, I look up from my computer to see it’s 3 p.m., time for a treat, bring on the soda. I deserve it.
Routine: Walk away from my computer to the vending machine.
Reward: Fizz. Pleasure center in the brain lights up.
Do this
Cue: Tough day at work, I look up from my computer to see it’s 3 p.m., time for a treat, bring on the warm cup of tea. I deserve it.
Routine: Walk away from my desk to the cafe. Have a nice conversation with the barista and grab my cup of tea, I’m feeling peppermint today.
Reward: Warming and smells wonderful. Good convo. Pleasure center in the brain lights up.
Ask yourself how you can add in more nutrient dense elements into your meals.
Don’t think of it as removing these foods, or taking these foods away. Think about it as creating some space for nourishing good-for-your-body foods. Adding in. Have both! It’s not about having NO fries, but maybe it’s half fries and half salad. You don’t need to go from Diet Coke to water, but maybe you go from Diet Coke to… Coke, then experiment with other more natural soda alternatives, etc. etc.
Finally, remember that it’s not always never just about the food.
Eating happens in context.
Healthy living is about giving time and attention to the whole self (WHOLE-ISTIC health).
Remember to nurture your relationships, your mindset, and your surrounding environment (i.e. work, household, etc.).
When we’re well-nourished in all areas of our lives, we’re less likely to obsess over food and our bodies as a cure-all for our struggles and underlying emotions.
There’s a time and place for food and exercise, but food and exercise does not cure-all.
So, be good to yourself.
Lose the judgement and get curious.
And as always, do it all, with love.
References:
https://www.precisionnutrition.com/why-you-cant-stop-overeating
Avena, N.M, Gold, M.S. (2011). Variety and hyperpalatability: are they promoting addictive overeating? The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 94(2), 367-368. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.020164.
Drewnowski, A., Shrager, E., Lipsky, C., Stellar, E., Greenwood, M.R. (1989). Sugar and fat: Sensory and hedonic evaluation of liquid and solid foods. Physiology & Behavior, 45 (1), 177-183. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(89)90182-0.
Kessler, David A. Your food is fooling you: How your brain is hijacked by sugar, fat, and salt. Roaring Book Press, 2012.
Mozaffarian D, Katan MB, Ascherio A, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC (2006). Trans Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. 354 (15): 1601–1613. doi:10.1056/NEJMra054035.
Provencher, V., Polivy, J., Herman, C.P. (2009). Perceived healthiness of food. If it’s healthy, you can eat more! Appetite, 52(2), 340-344. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2008.11.005.
Rolls, B.J., Drewnowski, A., Ledikwe, J.H. (2005). Changing the energy density of the diet as a strategy for weight management. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 105(5S), 98-103. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.033.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15050599/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-our-food-vocabulary-reflects-the-evolution-of-taste-11607144460
If you’re looking for a safe space where you can learn how to let go of dieting for good, enjoy food without guilt, and turn exercise into something you love to do rather than something you “have” to do, submit a client application to get in contact with me! I work with clients virtually all over the world helping those who are frustrated with dieting and want to change their relationship with food and themselves.
Hi, I’m Azul Corajoria, an Integrative Health Coach, Personal Trainer & Yoga Instructor. I support my clients in making step-by-step changes so that they can live a healthy and balanced life. By recognizing the interdependent roles of mindset, nutrition, and movement I educate and hold my clients accountable for achieving their health goals through lifestyle and behavior adjustments with an emphasis on self-care. Together, we navigate the contradictory world of nutrition through intuitive eating, practice mindful movement, and implement small mindset and lifestyle shifts that empower them to be their best selves in the easiest way possible.
