Discussion: At what point do food become a drug?

While the obesity epidemic is increasing for each day across the globe and new drugs are coming onto the market to combat this problem there seems to be, up until now, only a small discussion around how processed food is created/manufactured. I realise most people, especially on this forum, will but the blame entirely on each individual and while I many times agree I think we need to look at food companies role in this. The reason for this is because my wife recently helped a larger food company with their product and I got some insight into how this is done. They, literally, scan the brains of people while they are eating food to see how they can stimulate it in the most efficient way. While I realise that what you eat is your choice but at what point is this no longer the case? If we know that food is manufactured in a way that will create an addiction at what point do we say that it is no longer only the “eaters” fault but that there are a larger problem. There are many places in society where people can buy nothing but processed food and access to fresh natural food is highly limited. How can we blame people for getting “addicted” to food when that is what it was manufactured to do? At what point do the food seize to be food and is a drug?


Any input into this would be highly appreciated as it is occupying a lot of my mind at this time.

Sad to say it's the impeding future for all, unless some trash mother ****ers learn to use a condom or take their pill.....

Good post, I completely agree, it's wrong on so many levels.

But the answer is simple, the government makes money off people getting fat and they make money off of people trying to fix it, and medicate it.

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Originally Posted by tarmyg

While the obesity epidemic is increasing for each day across the globe and new drugs are coming onto the market to combat this problem there seems to be, up until now, only a small discussion around how processed food is created/manufactured. I realise most people, especially on this forum, will but the blame entirely on each individual and while I many times agree I think we need to look at food companies role in this. The reason for this is because my wife recently helped a larger food company with their product and I got some insight into how this is done. They, literally, scan the brains of people while they are eating food to see how they can stimulate it in the most efficient way. While I realise that what you eat is your choice but at what point is this no longer the case? If we know that food is manufactured in a way that will create an addiction at what point do we say that it is no longer only the “eaters” fault but that there are a larger problem. There are many places in society where people can buy nothing but processed food and access to fresh natural food is highly limited. How can we blame people for getting “addicted” to food when that is what it was manufactured to do? At what point do the food seize to be food and is a drug?


Any input into this would be highly appreciated as it is occupying a lot of my mind at this time.

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There is no way I would put the obesity epidemic entirely on the shoulders of the individual that is obese. For most, we eat what is available. It's the way it's always been. I remember a story my mom told me as a squirt that "once apon a time" people would not eat tomatoes because they thought they were somehow poisonous???? Probably a myth, but it illustrates the point that people will eat what is in front of them. WE, the members of this forum, and others, are the exception where we go entirely out of our way to understand what is in the food, and avoid the foods are body is telling us is good. Our bodies tell us sweets are good, which is why they taste so good. so people eat them.

and the fast food industry zeros in on that. they make shit/cheap food that stimulates our taste buds and makes us feel good for the moment.

An individual has to evolve at a fairly high level to make conscious and rational decisions to avoid the foods his body is telling him/her is good. If all we went by is how something tastes, I'd be eating blue berry pies and BBQ rib eye steaks the rest of my life.

I think my base question still stands. At what point does the food become so modified and irresistible that it is basically a drug?

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Originally Posted by tarmyg

I think my base question still stands. At what point does the food become so modified and irresistible that it is basically a drug?

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To me it's at the point where it becomes addictive to each individual or when a dependency on that particular food occurs. That's why some people can eat 'dirty' foods in moderation and still have great results while others need to stay away bc one bite leads to 40.

My theory on obesity is as follows...

If we look at indians that live in the wild, eating berries and food they grow, they are all extremely lean and fit. I think we now have the fattest population in the world because our bodies are not able to digest these foods, made by man properly and instead we store them.
It probably took the entire evolution of man for the human body to learn how to digest berries and food from the land and then only a century ago, all these fake food created by man started to come out. Which are concentrated and our body just stores them and we get obese.

My theory is much longer and in depth than this but i dont feel like typing. Hehe

This is why one of the biggest rules i follow while dieting is that if its made or tinkered by man in any way, I dont touch it!! Another thing i dont touch is milk which in my opinion is made by cows to allow their baby to grown into a 2 ton monster. We look nothing like these things, and we dont need to put on 100's of punds quickly like a baby cow does, so i dont touch it..

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Originally Posted by GGot FFina?

My theory on obesity is as follows...

If we look at indians that live in the wild, eating berries and food they grow, they are all extremely lean and fit. I think we now have the fattest population in the world because our bodies are not able to digest these foods, made by man properly and instead we store them.
It probably took the entire evolution of man for the human body to learn how to digest berries and food from the land and then only a century ago, all these fake food created by man started to come out. Which are concentrated and our body just stores them and we get obese.

My theory is much longer and in depth than this but i dont feel like typing. Hehe

This is why one of the biggest rules i follow while dieting is that if its made or tinkered by man in any way, I dont touch it!! Another thing i dont touch is milk which in my opinion is made by cows to allow their baby to grown into a 2 ton monster. We look nothing like these things, and we dont need to put on 100's of punds quickly like a baby cow does, so i dont touch it..

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So it's ok to eat the meat/muscles of the cow but not the milk that helped lay the foundation for the meat/muscles to be built?

We digest foods 'tinkered by man' perfectly fine. In your example of the berries vs man made foods the difference is the caloric content not the storage. Physiology does not work like that.

we are comming to a polarity here. if you dont live and think for self you die and fade away. simple as that. we cant make laws for every goddamn thing ! NERF the world!! we do need to inform people and make them label things i totally agree. it makes me sick that some of these places can sell this crap or be soo full of excuses..
if you rely of gov or others you are as good as dead and if you are too lazy to do your home work on what you are doing in your life... then you are as good as dead too,...

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Originally Posted by Docd187123

So it's ok to eat the meat/muscles of the cow but not the milk that helped lay the foundation for the meat/muscles to be built?

We digest foods 'tinkered by man' perfectly fine. In your example of the berries vs man made foods the difference is the caloric content not the storage. Physiology does not work like that.

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I dont eat meat nore do i drink milk ( rarely) and im doing just fine.. I agree its much deeper than just "touched by man"
EG, im basically against GMO foods.. but its not as simple as GMO or non GMO. WHAT IS the GMO of said product? is it combining an apple with a pare to make an "apare" or is it a apple mixed with virus cells to alter the skin and make it produce pesticides that THEY say are safe?. I could go on and on about the GMO thing. but in the end, information and proper labeling, if still an issue its on the person at a personal level and not interested in sob stories...

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Originally Posted by Juced_porkchop

I dont eat meat nore do i drink milk ( rarely) and im doing just fine.. I agree its much deeper than just "touched by man"
EG, im basically against GMO foods.. but its not as simple as GMO or non GMO. WHAT IS the GMO of said product? is it combining an apple with a pare to make an "apare" or is it a apple mixed with virus cells to alter the skin and make it produce pesticides that THEY say are safe?. I could go on and on about the GMO thing. but in the end, information and proper labeling, if still an issue its on the person at a personal level and not interested in sob stories...

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I remember you being a vegetarian Juced :). I'm not saying one MUST eat meat or drink milk. The poster I was responding to, I'm assuming isn't a vegetarian, said humans don't need to gain 100s of pounds like young calves and that's why he doesn't drink milk. That makes no logical sense IMO. Not saying he has to or should or shouldn't, but that's not a particularly valid reason for milk avoidance.

That's all they advertise on Tv and Billboards and Radio. They prey on the consumer making it cheaper for them to eat junk. Much more money to buy fresh from the store. Not only that society has changed entirely with both Mom and Dad working away from home. Fast and convient food has become just that, especially for the majority of families RTD or RTE is all the rage!! Quick and easy my 2 cents.

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Originally Posted by Docd187123

So it's ok to eat the meat/muscles of the cow but not the milk that helped lay the foundation for the meat/muscles to be built?

We digest foods 'tinkered by man' perfectly fine. In your example of the berries vs man made foods the difference is the caloric content not the storage. Physiology does not work like that.

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Yes thats my opinion. Again, just an opinion and one that works great for me when its time for me to lose weight.

People that eat the crap food are lazy and have no will power. Don't make excuses for their obesity, It's their fault.

The responsibility lies with the individual IMO, As food companies will always create junk foods...

Demographics are critical. The poorer (areas) and more uneducated, the more susceptible to crap foods they become...

In the case where my wife consulted (She is a neurobiologist) they were looking at how this new candy bar were affecting the brain to create the most pleasure while eating it. Now, if someone creates this new candy bar and it proves to be as addictive as cocaine but sold as food is it still individual responsibility? I am asking because the methods used in creating new processed foods is not a bunch of people sitting around saying, yeah, that tastes good but incredibly advanced techniques looking at brain activity while eating to stimulate it in the most optimal way.

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Originally Posted by tarmyg

I think my base question still stands. At what point does the food become so modified and irresistible that it is basically a drug?

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it doesn't.

drugs are taken (forget about recreational use for now) to treat medical conditions and illness'.

if you buy into the BS that obesity is a "syndrome" then maybe "food" can be used to treat this BS syndrome????

who the fuk knows