Why We’re Addicted to Pizza, According To Science

Pizza Has the Most Addictive Tendencies

Pizza really is the ultimate slice of life. The perfect blend of bread, cheese, meat, and whatever else you feel like throwing on top of it that particular day. Every single time the thought of pizza enters your brain, you’re helpless. The good news is that it’s not entirely your fault, because a study conducted by the University of Michigan which was published in the US National Library of Science determined that pizza is the #1 food with addictive tendencies.

Fat and Carbohydrates Stimulate the Reward-related Areas of Your Brain

Other foods that made the list of highly-addictive food substances included chips, french fries, cookies, chocolate, and cake with all of them obviously falling into the category of highly processed foods. Processed foods almost always contain vast amounts of fat and carbohydrates that are more quickly absorbed in the body. In fact, they’re almost identical to addictive drugs in that they stimulate the reward-related areas of your brain. The study also explains that highly processed foods loaded with sugars and fats can cause changes in the dopamine system that are very similar to drug abuse. Another study conducted by Yale in 2015 found similar results where processed foods, higher in fat were most frequently associated with addictive-like eating behaviors or a “food bender.”

Cheese Stimulates Opiod Receptors

There is one other simple reason why pizza seems to be so addictive, and it’s that delicious, gooey stuff known as “cheese.” The addictive properties of cheese come from an ingredient called casein which is a protein found in all milk products. When we digest this protein, it releases casomorphins which stimulate opioid receptors, the receptors involved in pain control, reward and addiction.

So in conclusion, go ahead and order pizza right now. Don’t feel guilty, enjoy every last bite and remind your brain that it’s not to blame for you eating yet another delicious pizza. It’s science’s fault.

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