The Secret that Leads to Love of Junk Food

Junk food is supposed to have no nutritional value. It’s got fats and carbs loaded into the dish and practically no vitamins, minerals or proteins. So why do we still crave these seemingly unhealthy foods? It’s all down to evolution and how the brain’s reward system gets triggered.

Breast milk is rich in carbohydrates and fats and is essential for the survival of the baby. However, these components are not required in a huge quantity when the child has grown up into an adult. The brain unfortunately has become attuned to these components of food and thinks that anything that has carbs and fats is a good meal.

The Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Germany conducted a study of 40 volunteers to check for their propensity to buy and consume junk food that was high in carbs and fats. The exercise had them bidding for food on a computer and their goal was to outbid the computer’s bids.

It was observed that people were quite happy to pay money for high fat and high carbohydrate foods. This science project has proved that nutritional value does not make the people choose what they eat. It’s the taste and the desire for comfort foods that wins hands down.