Foods with a high glycemic index associated with brain areas of reward and desire

Consumption of foods with a high glycemic index (GI) active parts of the brain responsible for reward and desire, according to the results of an international study published in June 2013 in the journal The American journal of clinical nutrition . These results support the hypothesis of addictive mechanism of this type of food.

Researchers in the United States and Germany, "scanned" the brain of the dozen men who were overweight or obese but without pathology, non-smokers, not dieting or weight loss program, and older 18 to 35 years, in order to study the effects on brain activity in the consumption of foods with a high or low glycemic index. Functional MRI was performed 4 hours after taking the meal or high GI or low.

Scientists have observed that among participants who consumed a high GI meal, the blood flow was higher in brain regions associated with reward and desire among participants who consumed a low GI meal. They also observed a greater feeling of hunger in the same participants.

Other studies have already shown that there is a potentially addictive nature of junk food on the one hand, and the fact that a lack of sugar grew easier to cravings. This new study helps to make a direct link between brain regions involved in desire and reward, under the control of dopamine and the brain's response to food, thus confirming the hypothesis that the consumption of such promotes food cravings and can have the same addictive substances such as tobacco effects. A most alarming especially since several studies suggest that the natural function allowing the body to regulate their desires according to his needs is dysregulated in obese people.

Source: Belinda S. Lennerz et al. , Effects of dietary glycemic index on brain areas related to reward and craving in men , Am J Clin Nutr June 2013.