The 8 most-addictive foods in the world (2024)

Doritos.jpg

If you think Doritos are addictive, you're not far off. They've been formulated to not have a dominant flavor, which tricks the brain into wanting more.Photo by Mims Copeland/The Oregonian

(Mims Copeland, The Oregonian/OregonLive)

Here are today's hot food topics:

The world's most-addictive foods: If you've ever had an insatiable craving for Doritos (or even those Doritos tacos they sell at the Bell), there's a reason for this. Over the years, food manufacturers have worked to create foods that have an addictive quality to them, so that you literally can't eat just one. In the case of Doritos, the recipe has been specially designed so that no single flavor overpowers another, and when foods lack a dominant flavor, people tend to feel full and will want more. Hence, the empty bag. The chips are also loaded with monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is known to increase appetite. Other foods that are highly addictive: Cheetos (the way it melts tricks the brain into wanting more), Oreo Cookies, M&Ms (the round shape makes your brain think they're sweeter), many canned soups (lots of MSG), ice cream, muffins and french fries. (Eat This!)

Gene Baur on "The Daily Show": Last week,we chatted with Farm Sanctuary co-founder Gene Baur about his new book"Living The Farm Sanctuary Life," which shows how to eat mindfully and rely less on animal products and meat. On Monday, Baur took that message to Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," where he talked with host Jon Stewart, who had a bit of a confession to make: "It's harder to eat meat when you know the animal's name." Stewart recently adopted his own pigs. ("The Daily Show")

Here's the interview:

The Daily Show
Daily Show Full Episodes, More Daily Show Videos, Comedy Central Full Episodes

Gene Baur will be in Portland to discuss "Living the Farm Sanctuary Life" and his approach to compassionate living at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Powell's City of Books, 1005 W. Burnside St.

Food finds around the web: Here are some food morsels worth chewing on.

• What has "Top Chef" favorite Bryan Voltaggio been doing lately? He's been focusing on the value of home cooking with a new cookbook. (
• Besides making salad dressings and pickles, there are a myriad of uses for vinegar in the kitchen. Some of the world's best chefs use it to make hot sauce, gelato, salsas, and hot and sour soup. (

-- Grant Butler

503-221-8566; @grantbutler