Why is junk food so irresistible? Despite knowing the health risks, many find themselves repeatedly reaching for chips, chocolate, or soda. These tasty treats are not just appealing by chance… they are designed to stimulate our brain’s pleasure and reward systems in ways that can override natural hunger cues. This blog explores hyperpalatable foods, the neurobiology behind cravings, how to stop craving junk food, and what this means for our eating behaviors.
What Are Hyperpalatable Foods (or Junk Foods)?
Hyperpalatable foods (HPFs) are foods engineered to combine high levels of fat, sugar, sodium, and carbohydrates in specific ways that make them extraordinarily tasty and rewarding. According to research by Fazzino et al. (2019, 2021), most HPFs fall into three key nutrient combinations:
- More than 25% of calories from fat plus ≥0.3% sodium by weight (e.g., bacon, cheese, salami)
- More than 20% of calories from both fat and simple sugars (e.g., cakes, ice cream, brownies)
- More than 40% of calories from carbohydrates plus ≥0.2% sodium by weight (e.g., pretzels, crackers, savory snacks)
These combinations enhance palatability beyond individual ingredients alone and stimulate metabolic and appetite hormones, encouraging overeating. Over 60% of foods in the US food supply meet these HPF definitions, including many foods marketed as “healthy” or “low fat” (Fazzino et al., 2019; USDA Food Database analysis).
Examples of common hyperpalatable foods include pizza, chocolate, chips, cookies, ice cream, French fries, cheeseburgers, soda, cake, cheese, bacon, and fried chicken (Kay Nutrition, 2025).
The Brain on Junk Food: Neurobiology of Cravings
When we eat HPFs, brain areas like the hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens release dopamine, a chemical that creates feelings of pleasure and motivates us to consume more of these foods. This reward activation can overpower normal hunger and fullness signals (Gearhardt et al., 2011).
Usually, the hormone leptin tells our brain we’re full. However, with constant intake of HPFs, the brain becomes less responsive to leptin, called leptin resistance… which reduces feelings of fullness (Fazzino et al., 2019). Another hormone, ghrelin, which signals hunger, can paradoxically increase after eating these foods, driving more cravings. Together, these hormonal shifts encourage overeating hyperpalatable foods (Gearhardt et al., 2011).
RELATED:
Food Industry Engineering: The Bliss Point
The food industry researches and creates the perfect balance of fat, sugar, and salt… the “bliss point”… to maximize food’s palatability. Along with appealing texture, aroma, and visual cues, companies trigger sensory responses and condition consumers to desire these foods even before taste (Naidoo, 2025).
ALSO READ: Decoding Food Labels: How to Identify Hidden Sugars, Additives, and UPFs
Health Impacts of Hyperpalatable Foods
Habitual consumption of HPFs leads to excess calorie intake, obesity, blood sugar dysregulation, inflammation, and increased risk of heart disease and metabolic syndromes (Fazzino et al., 2021; Naidoo, 2025). The overstimulation of the brain’s reward pathway and disrupted hunger hormones contribute to difficulties in managing weight and diet.
How to Stop Craving Junk Food: Strategies to Resist Cravings
Effective strategies to resist or stop craving junk food involve:
- Eating whole, nutrient-rich foods high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats for lasting fullness
- Gradually reducing hyperpalatable food exposure to recalibrate brain reward pathways
- Practicing mindful eating to recognize hunger versus pleasure-driven cravings
- Managing stress and emotional eating patterns (Gearhardt et al., 2011; Kalon et al., 2016).
Conclusion
Hyperpalatable foods are intentionally designed to hijack our brain’s reward centers, fueling cravings and overeating. While challenging to resist amid their prevalence, learning how to stop craving junk food through awareness and mindful choices can help regain control over eating habits and improve health outcomes.
References:
Fazzino, T. L., Rohde, K., & Sullivan, D. K. (2019). Hyper-palatable foods: Development of a quantitative definition and application to the US food system database. Obesity, 27(11), 1761-1768. PMID: 31689013
Fazzino, T. L., Rohde, K., & Sullivan, D. K. (2021). The role of hyper-palatable foods in energy intake and obesity risk. Physiology & Behavior, 231, 113290. PMID: 34245802
Gearhardt, A. N., Corbin, W. R., & Brownell, K. D. (2011). The addiction potential of hyperpalatable foods. Appetite, 57(3), 793-795. PMID: 21999688
Kalon, E., Martinek, N., & Siegel, D. (2016). Psychological and neurobiological correlates of food addiction and ultraprocessed foods. Nutrition Reviews, 74(9), 607-612. PMID: 27503449
Naidoo, U. (2025). Why do we crave junk food? Harvard Gazette.
Kay Nutrition. (2025). 12 most hyper-palatable foods. Retrieved from 12 Most Hyper-Palatable Foods
Author: Zainab Cutlerywala (INFS Faculty)
