Is food classified as a drug?

Some substances are treated as foods but clearly are drugs. Perhaps the most commonly acknowledged example is alcohol. Capable of imparting large amounts of calories, alcohol is generally not drunk for nutritional advantage.

Is junk food a drug?

The fact is junk food stimulates the reward system in the brain in the same way as addictive drugs, such as cocaine. For susceptible people, eating junk food can lead to full-blown addiction, which shares the same biological basis as drug addiction ( 1 ).

Why are foods considered drugs?

Foods aren’t as discrete as drugs when it comes to how they act on the body either—they can contain a number of beneficial, and possibly less beneficial, ingredients that work in divergent systems. Doctors also know that we eat not only to feed our cells but also because of emotions, like feeling happy or sad.

What can be considered a drug?

In pharmacology, a drug is a chemical substance, typically of known structure, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. A pharmaceutical drug, also called a medication or medicine, is a chemical substance used to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose a disease or to promote well-being.

When is a food a drug?

Like addictive drugs, highly palatable foods trigger feel-good brain chemicals such as dopamine. Once people experience pleasure associated with increased dopamine transmission in the brain’s reward pathway from eating certain foods, they quickly feel the need to eat again.

Why is food better than drugs?

Multiple scientific studies have proven that high sodium intake, consumption of processed foods, and animal products contribute to high blood pressure. Turns out, transitioning to a whole-foods plant-based diet, sodium restriction, and daily exercise can reduce blood pressure to a healthy range.

What food is just as addictive as drugs?

Among the findings:

• Pizza.
• Chocolate.
• Packaged cookies.
• Ice cream.
• French fries.
• Cheeseburgers.
• Regular soda.
• Cake.