Fast Food Addiction?

     Today in class, one of my fellow students mentioned his topic question for a project we are doing. "Do fast food restaurant put addictive ingredients in food to keep us coming back?" In an earlier post, I researched Taco Bell and the lack of beef in their "beef." I have always wondered about what really is in fast food. I have noticed that the freshman 15 is slowly creeping up on me and that has so much to do with all of the fast food that I am eating. But why do I keep going back? What is it in those McDonald's Chicken McNuggets that always have me coming back for more? What about those meat fillers at Taco Bell do I find so irresistible? What is this "addictive ingredient in fast food?" After doing some research of my own, I found out that some of the key factors in this "addictive" fast food are simply fat, salt, and sugar. These ingredients all trigger dopamine in the brain. Ever noticed how happy you feel while you are eating fast food? Well, exercise does the same thing...and it is a whole lot healthier.
     This also leads me to wonder, why would the fast food corporations put things like this in food? Obesity is obviously a growing problem in America, this could be directly linked to the addictive ingredients in fast food. Studies have also showed the use of other ingredients that contain minor amounts of opiates, thus giving us that feel good feeling as well as keeping us coming back. My question is why would the corporation do this to people? Shouldn't the people that are essentially in control of our daily lives be looking out for our best interests? Is it all about the money, and if so, why? This is just one more way that the corporation has their say in what happens in our everyday lives. So I present a challenge, before you hop in your car for that late night fourthmeal after studying for hours, consider what is in the food you are about to eat, and who put those ingredients there.