The 8 Most Addicting Foods to Never Eat (or at least limit)

DeLauer uses personal experience as a father of small kids to illustrate the strategy. He acknowledges that he wants to enjoy ice cream and pizza without demonizing them, but because these foods are engineered to be easy to overeat (soft texture, temperature effects, carb-fat combo), he always eats something with protein first. He explains that many of these addictive foods require little to no chewing, which delays the digestive process and the release of hunger-suppressing hormones. By preloading with protein, you initiate mastication and gastric signaling earlier, so when you get to the treat, your brain is already receiving some satiety input. He extends the suggestion to adding protein directly into ice cream using a Ninja Creami or simply mixing it in.

After explaining that chocolate triggers an opioid compound independent of sugar and fat, DeLauer shares his own chocolate habit. He eats dark chocolate regularly and has noticed that if he eats it in the morning, he tends to have better control over the portion. He doesn’t fully explain the mechanism but implies that early consumption aligns with a brain that is not already fatigued or seeking an evening dopamine fix, which may reduce compulsive drive. The shift to dark, sugar-free chocolate minimizes the additional dopamine burden from sugar while retaining the pleasurable components. This protocol is framed as a way to keep chocolate in the diet without letting it spiral into addictive overconsumption.

While discussing the temperature and dopamine desensitization effects of ice cream, DeLauer suggests that one way to mitigate overeating is to literally build satiety into the treat. By adding protein powder to a homemade ice cream preparation (such as one made with a Ninja Creami), you transform a dessert that would normally bypass satiety signals into one that triggers them early. This aligns with his broader preload-with-protein strategy but applied directly to the food most likely to cause rapid overconsumption due to its cold, soft, and carb-fat nature.

After detailing the Oxford study on crunch sound and perceived freshness, DeLauer points out that food scientists deliberately engineer crunch to make products more appealing. He recommends hijacking this sensory trick by using naturally crunchy whole foods. Carrots and celery provide the loud snap and fresh sensation that the brain interprets as satisfying, but they lack the rapid dopamine hit from processed fats and carbs. This swap can help decouple the craving for texture from the craving for calorie-dense junk, allowing a healthier outlet for the mouthfeel compulsion.

DeLauer stresses that the dopamine downsides of sweet drinks come from concentration of sweetness, not caloric load. In the same Journal of Food Science and Technology study, stevia and sucrose both produced a strong dopamine response. After laying out the evidence, he says, 'I do think that having like a stevia sweetened drink is fine, but we have to pay attention to the fact that we are still taxing our brain.' This suggests that a stevia-sweetened soda is a better choice than aspartame-based diet soda not because it bypasses the brain adaptation, but because it avoids the potential additional unknowns of artificial sweeteners while still allowing a controlled treat.

Thomas DeLauer explains that the mouth contains thermo-receptors that detect whether food is hot, cold, or room temperature. When you consume something extremely cold, these receptors slow down, effectively numbing the mouth and reducing taste sensitivity. To compensate, you unconsciously take larger bites or spoonfuls to achieve the same flavor hit. This is compounded by the fact that ice cream and milkshakes are soft and require minimal chewing, which delays the mastication-driven release of satiety hormones. An MRI study he cites showed that milkshakes produce a huge dopamine spike that desensitizes rapidly, meaning frequent consumers need more to get the same mental reward. The combination of temperature-induced numbness and soft texture makes ice cream especially easy to overeat before the brain registers fullness.

DeLauer describes an Oxford University study in which subjects ate Pringles in a soundproof booth while wearing headphones that amplified or dampened the crunch sound in real time. When the crunch was louder, participants rated the chips as fresher and ate significantly more; when the sound was softened, they perceived the same chips as stale and reduced their intake. This reveals that food technologists can manipulate crunch acoustics to increase consumption. DeLauer suggests that you can hijack this mechanism positively by choosing crunchy whole foods like carrots or celery, which provide a similar sensory reward without the calorie-dense fat and carbohydrate combination of chips.

Citing a study from the Journal of Food Science and Technology, DeLauer notes that researchers compared natural sweeteners (stevia, xylitol, sucrose) and artificial sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium). All of them triggered a dopamine response relative to water. The critical factor was the intensity of sweetness, not the type of sweetener. This concentration-dependent dopamine release leads to receptor desensitization over time, meaning regular consumption of any intensely sweet beverage — diet or not — drives the brain to require more sweetness to feel satisfied. Carbonation adds another layer: it stimulates oral sensory nerves, creating a quenching sensation that enhances the reward experience beyond the sweetness alone. DeLauer’s conclusion: diet soda is not a free pass, though he acknowledges that stevia-sweetened drinks might be marginally better if consumed occasionally.

DeLauer explains that casein protein, especially in aged or enzymatically active cheeses, partially breaks down into beta-casomorphins. These peptide fragments can cross the blood-brain barrier and bind to mu-opioid receptors, producing a subtle euphoric sensation. He notes that cheese contains roughly ten times the beta-casomorphins found in milk, and even milk has more than most other foods. This mechanism works in parallel with the fat-driven vagus nerve stimulation and the general carb-fat reward pathway, making cheese on foods like pizza or a cheese tray exceptionally compelling. While aged cheeses like Parmesan are often touted as healthier due to better fatty acid profiles and microbial benefits, they carry the highest beta-casomorphin content, presenting a trade-off. DeLauer encourages awareness rather than complete avoidance, comparing it to macadamia nuts — healthy but easy to overconsume.

Referencing a University of Michigan rat study using M&M’s, DeLauer reports that chocolate consumption triggers the release of a compound called enkephalin (he says 'incapalin', interpreting as enkephalin), which binds to opioid receptors. This response is independent of sugar, fat, and texture, meaning even dark, sugar-free chocolate can activate the opioid system. Combined with theobromine and epicatechin, which contribute to a mild stimulant euphoria, chocolate can produce a 'liked' feeling that encourages repeat consumption — similar to how people want more caffeine for the way it makes them feel. DeLauer’s own behavior (eating dark chocolate regularly, often in the morning) shows he is aware of this and suggests strategic timing and choosing the darkest possible chocolate to reduce overconsumption.

DeLauer cites a study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stating that 'Humans are evolutionarily designed to find carbs and fats more rewarding.' When pizza — with its refined flour crust, fatty cheese, and sugary tomato sauce — hits the gut, the high concentration of fat, particularly when combined with refined starches, stimulates the vagus nerve. This afferent nerve carries signals to the brain’s reward centers, triggering a neurotransmitter surge that he likens to 'fireworks.' The result is a highly rewarding experience that makes it hard to stop eating. On cheeseburgers, he adds the role of glutamates in condiments, which create excitatory neurotransmission that speeds up the brain’s desire to eat faster than the mouth can keep up, further driving overconsumption.