Food & Drink

Headed to Roquefort Rehab: Cheese Is as Addictive as Cocaine

Move over, addicted cheese-lovers, it's the brain-saving Mediterranean diet you want to get hooked on.
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We celebrated when science confirmed our belief that Oreos are addictive. But with today's announcement that cheese is as addictive as drugs, we’re shamelessly scarfing down pizza left and right. A new study from the University of Michigan stated that there's a scientific reason that pizza was found to be the most addictive food in the Yale Food Addiction Scale, and it all has to do with the cheese.

Cheese is especially addictive because of a protein called casein, which releases opiates called casomorphins during digestion. Those casomorphins mess with dopamine receptors, triggering addictive elements in the brain, the study says. Other addictive foods uncovered in the study are of thee fatty and processed variety (chocolate, soda, and potato chips).

While we’re getting our daily powder fix of Parmesan, the smartest amongst us are avoiding meat and unhealthy fats (read: pizza). Another study, this one out of Columbia University, recently found that a Mediterranean diet, high in fish and veggies, can make your brain five years younger.

The Mediterranean diet includes lots of vegetables, legumes, cereals, fish, and healthy fats like olive oil. Sticking to this diet has already been proven in earlier studies to reduce the risk of Alzheimers and breast cancer, and can nearly halve the risk of heart disease. And that’s not all, folks. A new documentary, Pioppi Protocol, has found that it isn’t just the food that keeps Meditteraneans healthier. It’s the lifestyle. The Italians studied in the film were found to enjoy their food more, making meals an excuse for a social gathering. Between meals, the people in Pioppi, who live to an average of 90 years, took leisurely walks and bike rides.

“It’s the whole approach. It’s the food. It’s the social interaction. It’s getting the right kind of exercise. It’s being outside. It’s getting sunlight and sunshine,” Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist featured in the film, told the New York Times.

Pita with hummus on top, that's basically like a slice of pizza, right? We'll keep trying to convince ourselves of that.