Can you explain Food without brakes?

[Bubblewinks]

I keep seeing this.  Thanks

[ShannonM816]

Food that you can't stop eating once you start. Like potato chips -- or for Whole30-ers, salted roasted nuts or dried fruit. Generally they're something that you should be limiting anyway for health reasons, but there's also a component of craving the food, or eating it mindlessly.

[Derek`]

Food manufacturers put a lot of effort into making foods hyper-palatable so that you overconsume them ( and buy more).  There is a deadly combination of sugar, starch, fat, and salt that makes it feel like you haven't just taken in as many Calories as you have.  Part of the processing has already been done for you so your brain doesn't get the full signal that you're eating as much as you are.  In addition, these food-like substances are void of nutrition, so when your body senses that you're eating but not getting any nutrition, it wants to eat more to try to get nutrition.  I'm pretty sure I could sit down and eat 500 Calories worth of Oreos (not that I'd try nor would I recommend trying).  I'm pretty sure I could not sit down and eat 500 Calories worth of spinach without feeling uncomfortable.

 

What this means for Whole30 is that, while some foods are compliant, they are easy to overeat because they are extremely Calorie-dense.  Things like nuts and dried fruit, and especially snack bars (even compliant ones like Larabars) can trigger this.  

 

Another good reason why trying to replicate your old SAD food-like substances is not a good idea.  If you were eating banana/egg "pancakes" I guarantee you would feel less satiated than if you ate the same amount of scrambled eggs and the banana on the side, even though you'd be eating the exact same foods.