Oreo cookies are of America’s most well-loved and recognized treats.
Throughout their 104-year legacy, the cookie brand has settled into the homes and hearts of Americans with their ever-changing flavors and packaging.
Once you read the rest of this article, however, America’s favorite cookie won’t seem so appetizing anymore.
Your Brain On Oreo Cookies
Joseph Schroeder, an assistant professor of neuroscience at Connecticut College, and his team studied the addictive properties of Oreos on rats. They found that the cookie produced the same reaction as cocaine.
In the study, food-deprived rats were encouraged to choose between Oreos and rice cakes. Both options were placed at the opposite end of a maze. Much like humans, the rats preferred the sweet and fatty treat over the rice cakes.
The results were then compared with a study that used the same maze system with different rewards. On one end of the maze, rats were injected with cocaine or morphine, while in the other, the critters were injected with a saline solution. Once again, the rats chose the option associated with the most pleasure.
Researchers noted that in both cases, rats hung around the site of the treatment rather than returning to the starting point. In the Oreo study, the rats spend as much time on the “drug” side of the maze as the rats conditioned with cocaine or morphine.
“Our research supports the theory that high-fat/ high-sugar foods stimulate the brain in the same way that drugs do,” Schroeder said. “It may explain why some people can’t resist these foods despite the fact that they know they are bad for them.”
“Even though we associate significant health hazards in taking drugs like cocaine and morphine, high-fat/ high-sugar foods may present even more of a danger because of their accessibility and affordability,” Lauren Cameron, who assisted the study, said.
What’s more, the researchers found that Oreos caused higher levels of cell activation in the pleasure centers of the brain than cocaine. This suggests that high fat/high sugar foods may be as addictive as hard drugs.
What Are Oreos Made Of?
Here’s a breakdown of the ingredient you’ll find in a classic Oreo cookie :
UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE {VITAMIN B1}, RIBOFLAVIN {VITAMIN B2}, FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, PALM, AND/OR CANOLA OIL, COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA, AND/OR CALCIUM PHOSPHATE), CORNSTARCH, SALT, SOY LECITHIN, VANILLIN (–) AN ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CHOCOLATE.CONTAINS WHEAT, SOY
Surprised by a few items on this list? So were we.
If you aren’t familiar with a few of these ingredients, read below to find out what’s really hiding in milk’s favorite cookie.
1. Reduced Iron
Reduced iron is highly processed from the mineral that can be difficult for your body to process properly. It’s created by deoxidizing an oxide of iron by exposing it to a current of hydrogen. Reduced iron is typically present in foods that do not contain vitamin C, making it even more difficult for your body to utilize it properly.
2. Synthetic Folic Acid
Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, an essential B vitamin. Research suggests that folic acid actually hinders your body’s ability to use real folate. What’s more, your body can’t break down the synthetic vitamin into usable folate. It also interferes with proper enzyme function.
3. Sugar And High Fructose Corn Syrup
High fructose corn sugar is terrible for your body. Not only is it made of GMO corn, but it also leads to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and permanent liver damage. Sugar, on the other hand, promotes inflammation and feeds cancerous cells.
4. Soy lecithin
Soy lecithin is used to improve the texture of processed foods as well as extend their shelf life. Sourced from GMO soy, this ingredient is believed to contribute to the development of breast cancer, infertility, and behavioral problems in children.
5. High Oleic Canola Oil
Canola oil is another product of GMO farming, but it gets worse. The oil is processed to extend shelf life. As a result, it is high in unhealthy monounsaturated fats and low in healthy polyunsaturated fats. What’s more, its high content of oleic acid has been linked to blood platelet abnormalities, impaired growth, free radical damage, and high cancer risk.
6. Soybean Oil
Soy is incredibly high in phytoestrogens, which mimic estrogen and lead to hormonal imbalances. Over time, high soy consumption may lead to breast cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, infertility, and low libido. Soy also impairs thyroid function.
7. Calcium Phosphate
Calcium phosphate is commonly added to fortified foods and found in calcium supplements. In high doses, it’s known to cause constipation, nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, unusual weight loss, mental/mood changes, bone/muscle pain, headache, increased thirst/urination, weakness, unusual tiredness, according to Web MD.
Synthetic calcium also settles in your arteries, putting you at risk of heart attack and stroke.
Maybe it’s time to stick to homemade cookies, don’t you think?
Via: https://dailyhealthpost.com