Ever wondered why indulging in Oreos makes you feel so relaxed? Well, that might be because they are as addictive as cocaine or morphine and reach the brains' "pleasure centre," according to a latest study.
Researchers at Connecticut College conducted a study on rats to find out the reason why some foods are extremely addictive. They found that high-fat, sugary foods stimulate the brain just as drugs.
They focused on the impact cookies can have on the brain. "We found that the behavior they exhibited was equally strong for Oreo cookies as it was for cocaine or morphine," lead author and psychology professor Joseph Schroeder of the Behavioral Neuroscience program at Connecticut College, told WCBS 880. "When we looked in the pleasure center of the brain, we found that the Oreo cookies activated the pleasure center more so than cocaine would activate the same center."
The researchers conducted the study in the wake of obesity epidemic that griped many Americans. They said that mostly people from low-income tend to go for fast-food options.
"Overall, it lent support to the hypothesis that high fat, high sugar foods can be viewed in the same was as drugs of abuse and have addictive potential," Schroeder said. "It could be used to explain why some people have a problem staying away from foods that they know they shouldn't eat or that they know are addictive."
According to the co-author and neuroscience major Jamie Honohan, some research showed that rats like Oreos.
