“The healthier I eat, the more cravings I get and hungrier I feel!” – I remember saying to my fiancé with frustration.

I couldn’t understand why a fried chicken sandwich from Popeyes would leave me more satisfied and fuller for longer than my seasoned-with-salt-and-pepper chicken with veggies. It is then when I realized that flavor influences how satiated we are after we eat. This is why junk food is so addicting.

Immediately, I realized that simple seasonings like salt and pepper weren’t enough. I would minimally season my food to enhance its natural flavors, but not enough to satisfy what my body really wanted (because I am a needy foodie).

I believe one of the greatest pleasures in life is food, and here are a few reasons why this is true:

– Food reminds us of home.
– Food brings us back to a certain place or time that we enjoyed.
– Food creates an explosion of sensations in our mouths, and subsequently, our brains.
– Food introduces us and expands our knowledge of different cultures.
– Food brings us closer to our loved ones.

I do not take the statements above lightly. You can take away TV, you can take away social media, you can take away a nicely crafted cocktail, you can take all dopamine inducing activities away from me, but do not take away the joy of experiencing the explosion of flavors in my mouth from me.