519: Reducing food cravings & why willpower doesn’t exist | Neuroscientist Jud Brewer, M.D., Ph.D.

Food Engineering

Jud Brewer reveals the intricate strategies food engineers use to make foods addictive, drawing parallels to social media's addictive design. He highlights how the tobacco industry, after facing backlash, shifted focus to food, employing engineers to enhance food's addictive qualities. This has led to the creation of products like Lunchables, which are marketed to give children a sense of control, despite being unhealthy 1.

Every conceivable place where somebody could design addiction into food has been done, and it continues to be done.

--- Jud Brewer

Jason Wachob notes a positive shift in the availability of healthier food options, suggesting that awareness and understanding of our minds can help combat these engineered cravings 2.

   

Hunger Signals

Understanding hunger involves more than just recognizing physical hunger signals; it also includes emotional and psychological triggers. Jud Brewer explains that hunger can be driven by stress, emotions, or even dehydration, rather than actual physiological need 3. He introduces the concept of hedonic hunger, where emotions like sadness or boredom trigger eating, rather than true hunger signals.

Hedonic hunger is just a fancy word for emotional, you know, emotional urges to eat.

--- Jud Brewer

This understanding is crucial for addressing binge eating disorders and developing healthier eating habits 4.