Are Carbs More Addictive Than Cocaine?

Check out this article from Details magazine (and great image above). I would tend to be wary of diet advice (like investments) from a mainstream mag, but at least people are figuring this out I guess. Quick read with a particularly interesting study:

In 2007, researchers at the University of Bordeaux, France, reported that when rats were allowed to choose between a calorie-free sweetener and intravenous cocaine, 94 percent preferred the sugar substitute. The researchers concluded that "intense sweetness can surpass cocaine reward. . . . 

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LA Times: Scientists: Carbs, not fat make you fat

Paleo is not inherently low carb. It is more about food quality than quantity (versus a weighed-and-measured approach of The Zone Diet). Several high caliber endurance athletes have switched to paleo and continue to get alot of their fuel from carbohydrates. That said, the majority of us walking around could use being on the lower-carb side of the equation. There was an interesting article in the LA Times a few days ago about this. It serves as a good crash course in the metabolic process for dealing with the three main macro-nutrients: protein, carbs and fat.

Here is my simple logic test for what is wrong with out diet: in the last generation, we have consumed drastically less fat and yet we continue to get fatter as a nation. All those 'low-fat' processed foods just contain more sugar or artificial sweetener (which spikes your insulin just the same since the taste buds taste sugar and stimulate the appropriate response). Check out the article and maybe try going all of January without gluten. While not fully paleo, it will be a step in the right direction.

Hat-tip Crossfit Football