Are Oreo cookies as Addictive as Drugs?

The very popular Oreo cookies are as addictive as drugs like cocaine or morphine for rats, according to a study.

The research was led by neuroscience Professor Joseph Schroeder from Connecticut College, along with college students. The study was conducted to find out the link between obesity and food rich in fats and sugar.

"Our research supports the theory that high-fat/ high-sugar foods stimulate the brain in the same way that drugs do," Schroeder stated in a press release. "It may explain why some people can't resist these foods despite the fact that they know they are bad for them."

The researchers conducted the experiment in a specific environment; they fed Oreos and rice cakes  to rats and the results were compared to a similar test done with drugs like cocaine and morphine . It was seen that Oreos were capable of activating more neurons in the rats than the drugs.

The neural activity was measured using immunohistochemistry, where the researchers scaled the levels of a protein called c-Fos, which is an indicator of neuronal activities taking place in the accumbens or "pleasure center" of the brain.

"It basically tells us how many cells were turned on in a specific region of the brain in response to the drugs or Oreos," said Schroeder.

In the experiment it was seen that the Oreo-fed rats and the drugged rats spent an equal amount of time on the side of the maze which had drugs.

"This correlated well with our behavioral results and lends support to the hypothesis that high-fat/ high-sugar foods are addictive," said Schroeder.

This research sprouted from an idea by a neuroscience major, Jamie Honohan, who wanted to figure out how exactly sugar and fats rich foods lead to obesity epidemic in poverty-ridden regions.

"My research interests stemmed from a curiosity for studying human behavior and our motivations when it comes to food," Honohan said.

"We chose Oreos not only because they are America's favourite cookie, and highly palatable to rats, but also because products containing high amounts of fat and sugar are heavily marketed in communities with lower socioeconomic statuses," Honohan added.

The rats were found to break the cookies up and eat the cream from the middle before eating the outer crust like humans do. This research will be presented at the Society for Neuroscience conference taking place at San Diego, California next month.

"Even though we associate significant health hazards in taking drugs like cocaine and morphine, high-fat/ high-sugar foods may present even more of a danger because of their accessibility and affordability," Honohan said.