Ultra-processed foods (like sweetened breakfast cereals, processed meats, and flavoured potato chips) may be quick, tasty, and convenient, but they carry hidden health risks, increasing the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Plus, there’s growing evidence to suggest that eating highly processed foods can lead to cravings, loss of control, withdrawal and tolerance – the key traits of a substance use disorder. So, what makes us crave these highly processed foods?

1. They ‘hijack’ your brain’s reward system
Eating sugary or fatty foods triggers a rush of ‘feel-good’ chemicals like dopamine and endorphins. This creates a sense of pleasure and satisfaction, which makes us want to eat more of them.

2. They change your brain
When you regularly eat high-fat, high-sugar snacks, your brain learns to favour these types of foods, so that you automatically seek them out in the future.

3. They affect your brain quickly
The more quickly a food affects your brain, the more addictive it becomes. Ultra-processed foods deliver fats and carbs to your gut almost instantly, providing immediate satisfaction and making you want more.

Breaking these food habits isn’t easy, but it’s definitely possible. Here are some tips which may help:

1. Identify your triggers
Keep a record of your cravings, noting down the situations in which they occur, and the emotions that accompany them. Being more aware of your triggers means you can create a plan to better cope with your cravings.

2. Have a plan ready
Be mindful of the environments and situations that trigger your cravings, and make adjustments to help you manage them. For example, if you tend to eat fast food on the weekends, you could make sure you have the ingredients ready for healthier, homemade versions, like cauliflower ‘wings’ instead of fried chicken, or pizza with healthy toppings and a base made from wholemeal flour.

3. Lean on your support network
Let your friends and family know how they can support you, whether that’s by helping you prepare healthy meals, keeping sugary snacks out of sight, or simply being a -distraction when a craving hits.

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