Oreo cookies "as addictive as cocaine"
Choc biscuit triggers brain’s "pleasure centre" in same way as Class-A drug, say scientists
Oreo cookies may be as addictive to the brain as cocaine, say US scientists.
In lab trials on rats, the sweet treats were found to trigger the same neurons in the brain's "pleasure centre" as the Class-A drug.
And, fascinatingly, the Oreo-nibbling rats liked licking out the cream filling first - just like us!
Obviously, a small trial on a bunch of rats is not the same as a large-scale trial on humans but the scientists, from Connecticut college, believe their findings could explain why so many of us (children and adults alike) find it so hard to resist reaching for another biscuit – or three.
“Our research supports the theory that high-fat and high-sugar foods stimulate the brain in the same way that drugs do," says lead researcher and neuroscientist Joseph Schroeder.
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“That may be one reason people have trouble staying away from them, and it may be contributing to the obesity epidemic.
"I haven't touched an Oreo since doing this experiment!”
We fear we may have a bit of a problem following his example...
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