http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydis...022-story.html

Cheese really is crack. Study reveals cheese is as addictive as drugs
Cheese is as addictive as drugs

According to a new study, cheese is as addictive as certain drugs.
(Eric Boyd / Los Angeles Times)
Jenn HarrisJenn HarrisContact Reporter

For years you've been telling your friends, family, co-workers and
anyone who will listen that you're addicted to cheese. It's a part of
every meal or snack, and you think about it constantly. According to a
new study from the University of Michigan, cheese crack is a real thing.
And so is your addiction.

The study, published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine, examines
why certain foods are more addictive than others. Researchers identified
addictive foods from about 500 students who completed the Yale Food
Addiction Scale, designed to measure if someone has a food addiction.

Pizza, unsurprisingly, came out on top of the most addictive food list.
Besides being a basic food group for kids, college students and adults,
there's a scientific reason we all love pizza, and it has to do with the
cheese.

The study found certain foods are addictive because of the way they are
processed. The more processed and fatty the food, the more it was
associated with addictive eating behaviors.

Cheese happens to be especially addictive because of an ingredient
called casein, a protein found in all milk products. During digestion,
casein releases opiates called casomorphins.
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"[Casomorphins] really play with the dopamine receptors and trigger that
addictive element," registered dietitian Cameron Wells told Mic.

So there you have it. Your cheese addiction has been validated by
science. This may be better than that time science said your addiction
to Oreos is real. Just maybe.