Is it even possible to stop at just one bag of potato chips? The smell, the flavour, the taste – it’s one thing which most of us can get addicted to – yes, that’s right, certain foods are processed in such a way that they can make you addicted to them! These foods are called “hyperpalatable” and have ingredients like sugar, sodium, unhealthy fat, and certain synthetic ingredients that enhance their taste, triggering the reward center of the brain and release of “feel-good chemicals” that can put us in a constant state of craving, wanting to have more of such food. Also, since these foods are easily digested, they cause sharp rise in insulin and the subsequent dip causes imbalance in blood sugar levels, leaving one hungry within a short span of time. The problems with such foods is that they are high in calories, have unhealthy fat, sugar, and salt – leading to weight gain. Read on for more details on hyperpalatable foods and which ones you should absolutely avoid to lose weight.
How Hyperpalatable Foods Trigger Weight Gain?
The flavours in hyperpalatable foods trigger the release of endorphins and dopamine (the feel-good chemicals in the brain), making one crave for such unhealthy food again and again, an effect that’s considered similar to drug addiction. Regular consumption of fast food, junk food, all of which come under hyperpalatable foods numb out leptin (satiety hormone) and you would be unable to reach satiety even after eating large quantities of food. We are particularly talking about sugary foods, which activate the pleasure centers of the brain, creating sharp insulin spikes, and triggering conversion of excess calories into fat molecules. Additionally, most of these foods have refined carbs that cause your blood sugar to rise sharply and crash subsequently, making you hungry within a short span of time. Also, since they have little to no nutrients, your body would crave for more food to replenish nutrients and energy.
So, following is the list of food items that when you eat more of them, they increase your calorie intake, and lead to weight gain.
10 Most Hyperpalatable Foods:
1. Potato chips (12 Healthier Alternatives to Potato Chips).
2. Brownies
3. Pizza
4. Chocolates
5. Burgers
6. Ice cream
7. Candies
8. Muffins
9. French Fries
10. Soft Drinks
If you want to lose weight, avoid these hyperpalatable foods and start on a good weight loss diet such as Rati Beauty diet, which helps you eat the right kind of food to shed extra pounds without without compromising on nutrition or health. Download the Rati Beauty app for more details on lose weight successfully without crash dieting.
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