Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Dude, where's my chips?

The longing for potato chips this week has intensified. I've been so focused on ignoring chips and trying to find alternatives to eating that so far I've been able to ignore that craving. But now it's come full circle. As I've been combing the Internet for healthy snack alternatives, all it's done is made me want more chips.

I ran across this article as I was wiping drool from my mouth and chewing on my water bottle straw as I searched for some new snack idea besides carrots and nuts. Apparently there really is something to the potato chip addiction because according to this article from msnbc.com, a recent study in the journal of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) stated that eating potato chips (among some other fatty foods) can trigger the body to produce chemicals much like those found in marijuana. Apparently the fat triggers the release of endocannabinoids in the brain, which is known to increase your appetite and the sense of taste.

No wonder they say you can't eat just one.

2 comments:

  1. So what you're saying is the munchies are giving you the munchies.

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  2. Jocelyn: I have found several more healthy snack items that might help you -- 1) Pretzals - they are baked rather than fried, and very low in fat, yet salty. 2) Regular or chocolate animal crackers, available at Walmart -- they are a really nice snack, and not many more calories than pretzals. 3) Rice snacks available at Aldi -- their Fit & Active brand has several flavors, all of which are really good, and low in fat/calories.

    Good luck!

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