Cheese is Addictive?!

Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble / CC

For years you’ve been telling your friends, family, co-workers and anyone who will listen that you’re addicted to cheese. It’s a part of every meal or snack, and you think about it constantly. According to a University of Michigan study, cheese crack is a real thing. And so is your addiction. The study examined why certain foods are more addictive than others. Researchers identified addictive foods from about 500 students. Pizza, unsurprisingly, came out on top of the most addictive food list, and it’s mainly because of the cheese. The study found certain foods are addictive because of the way they are processed. The more processed and fatty the food, the more it was associated with addictive eating behaviors. Cheese happens to be especially addictive because of an ingredient called casein, a protein found in all milk products. During digestion, casein releases opiates called casomorphins, which play with the dopamine receptors and trigger that addictive element.