Ok.....so here's what I'm wondering...... You know how we're all genetically engineered to do things that are good for us? I might be wording this wrong, so I'll give some examples....... Sex feels good so we keep doing it, this is nature's way of making sure the species keeps reproducing. I once read a diary of a man lost a sea in a life raft for 3 months and he explains that when he caught his first fish, he was not just hungry, but he was craving the eyes of the fish. He had never eaten fish eyes before so the craving was strange because how do you crave something you've never had? The answer, it turns out, is a natural response to the situation he was in. He was severly dehydrated and the fish eyes contained a high percentage of fresh water, so his brain made him crave the eyes....... So now for the root of all of my wondering....... I crave the hell out of shitty food......French Fries, Cheese Doodles, Bacon, etc. I crave these things because they taste so damn good. Herein lie my questions....... 1.) Why does the human body and mind crave the taste of foods that are bad for the human body? and..... 2.) Why is the human body naturally programmed to like the tastes of foods that are bad for us while disliking the tastes of foods that are good for us? I know that some of you are going to say that you like the taste of healthy foods, but I would think that we would have to agree that the bulk population likes the taste of non-healthy foods while disliking the taste of healthy foods. McDonald's and Burger King would not be the world-wide, multiBillion dollar franchises they are if this weren't true. I just find this weird......Anyone have any input?
Frued said that the underlying reason for our species to survive was our id subconscious, where all of our primitive instincts try to achieve one thing, pleasure. We get pleasure from sex, from tasty foods, (although they are bad for us). We try to meet and satisfy our ids demands. Our ego and super ego levels of subconscious try to regulate these compulsions, for example by choosing carrots over french fries.
Refined sugar is EXTREMELY addictive. Especially high fructose corn syrup. The more you eat the more you crave. Refined sugars are in ALL junk food... not just sweet stuff. If you stop eating junk food, you really do stop craving it. The body and mind of a smoker will crave nicotine because that's how addictions work... they trick the mind into thinking that substances is as necessary as food or water. Also... evolution is a process that takes thousands and thousands of years. Our bodies haven't physically evolved to keep up with technology. Most foods that are considered unhealthy are high in fat and carbohydrates. Fat and carbohydrates are fuels that our body needs, so we are "programmed' (if you will) to enjoy them. However, until only the last 50 years or so humans were very active. We didn't have machines and computers to do all of our work for us, and people didn't sit at desks for 12+ hours a day. So we still crave the fat and carbohydrates we need to get us through a long day in the fields, when we're really spending a long day playing WoW.
I've never thought of being addicted to junk food. Is this your opinion or is this fact. I'm not trying to be a dick, you've just made me really curious. This makes alot of sense. I would have to aggree with your thinking, but I'm still left wondering why "healthy foods" don't seem to taste as good.
Healthy foods DO taste good if you eat them regularly (and prepare them right) and stop eating junk food. I don't find fast food appealing AT. ALL. Most chain restaurants (ie, olive garden) aren't any better. It's all just salty, fatty, frozen foods. Gross! Sugar addiction is very real. Sugar addiction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia