Have you ever asked yourself why you can't eat just one potato chip, especially one buffalo wing flavored potato chip dipped in creamy ranch dip? What do they put in these foods--crack?
Well, yes, sort of, according to David Kessler in his new book The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite. Kessler, a former pediatrician who was FDA Commissioner under Presidents Bush (the father) and Clinton, presents some pretty compelling research showing that food manufacturers and chain restaurants know exactly what's going to make you want to eat--and eat, and eat, and eat, and eat.
There are a few things causing this epidemic of overeating: Chemically-enhanced food that tastes good because it's high in fat, sugar, and salt; food so processed it's almost pre-chewed; food that's extremely cheap, because real ingredients, like eggs, sugar, butter, and natural flavorings have been replaced by low-cost synthetic ingredients; huge portions that are training us to eat (and expect) more; and 24-hour availability, so you can get that Panda Express Orange Chicken or those Tyson Chicken Cordon Bleu Any'tisers whenever the craving strikes.
What's the cure?
Related: 10 surprising health foods you should be eating
1. Stop snacking. Really. It's not that hard, and you'll see the benefits fast. First, you'll actually be hungry once meal time rolls around, which makes the food so much more enjoyable. Second, you will lose weight, and you'll do it without have to go on a diet. Snacking is a modern phenomenon, so just think of this as returning to your roots. (If you must snack, try this healthy yogurt option with granola, tropical fruit, and crystallized ginger.)
2. Go cold turkey on processed foods. You'll lose your taste for them in a matter of days. Since you're not snacking any more, you don't need chips and crackers. Bake your own cookies--it's fun, and you'll know what goes into them. Keep ice cream as an occasional treat. Give up cold cereal, even the kind labeled healthy. It's not actually that healthy. Oats are healthy. Eggs are healthy. Even bacon is healthy, in moderation.
3. Skip the chain restaurants. Read Kessler's book if you need to know why. Just realize that what you're ordering is engineered to make you eat like your belly is a bottomless pit. The wiser choice: Go out less frequently to a real restaurant where there's a chef in the kitchen who cooks real food with real ingredients, rather than assembling pre-fab dishes from frozen components.
Related: 12 must-have healthy food staples to keep in your pantry.
--Victoria von Biel, executive editor
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