Studies That's why chips and chocolate are addictive

Potato Chips Effect: Why We Need to Empty the Chips Bag
Chips develop an addictive potential when nibbling, which stimulates excessive consumption. We have to empty the bag practically, even if the hunger is already satisfied. The reason for this is the composition of the chips. In particular, the combination of around 50 percent fat and 35 percent carbohydrates leads to excessive consumption.

Scientists at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have investigated the question why most people suffer from the "potato chips effect" (eating a handful, eating the whole pack). The researchers observed the same effect as in humans in experiments with rats to which they put potato chips. The animals were prone to a significantly excessive consumption. The inclusion of potato chips has activated the reward center in the brain of the rat - and thus led to an unbridled food intake even in rich animals, reports the FAU.

Definitely a nosh formula the craving for chips?

Eating by the combination of fat and carbohydrates?
The excessive consumption of food without hunger is referred to in the art as hyperphagia (cravings), the effect of almost every person should be known. The urge to eat more than we actually do well - just because a food tastes just so delicious, is quite common. However, the Nuremberg researchers suspect that some foods, such as snacks or chocolate, regardless of a personal preference, can trigger a hyperphagia. This may be due to a fasting formula that is essentially determined by the combination of fat and carbohydrates.

Chips activate the reward center in the brain
In order to get to the bottom of the causes of the potato chips effect, the researchers fed Dr. Tobias Hoch, Prof. dr. Monika Pischetsrieder and dr. Andreas Hess from the FAU a group of rats with potato chips - and "all you can eat". A second group received only normal rat food and a third group a feed mix that "had the same fat-carbohydrate mix and therefore the same energy content as the potato chips, but was not snack food," according to the University. Using advanced imaging techniques of "manganese-enhanced MRI," the researchers observed the differences between the brain activities of differently fed animals.

Special properties of potato chips
Initially, there were signs that it was the high levels of fat and carbohydrates that make rats - and possibly even humans - so crazy about Chips & Co., reports the FAU. However, the cravings for chips can only be explained to a limited extent with the fat and carbohydrate content, because rats that received the same fat-carbohydrate mixture as in potato chips showed a less pronounced activation in the brain than animals after eating the potato chips. "The effect of potato chips on brain activity can only be explained in part by the amount of fat and carbohydrates," reports the university. There must also be special properties of potato chips that make them so attractive. (fp) Proof: Photo Art