If you have ever decided to cut down on junk food but still find yourself returning to junk foods as a guilty pleasure then you can rest assured that you are not alone. We all tend to get hit by cravings as we try to kick these habits. And even though our rational mind knows that these foods are bad for us a completely different part wants junk food anyway. Here’s why we can’t stop ourselves from eating junk food and how you can change that.

Our bodies and brains crave foods that are high in fat, high in sugar and cholesterol. This is a natural process as these foods were scarce when we were a hunter-gatherer species. As they were essential for our survival our body developed a craving for them. Today food is not scarce and sugary doughnuts and high-fat burgers can be found easily. While our brains can understand our body still wishes to consume more fat and more sugar. This results in high levels of Dopamine being released and our body and mind crave the same rush every meal.

Most food producers know just how addictive their products can be. They choose to sell it even with this knowledge. The more people crave their food the better their sales. To combat this you need to take matters into your own hands. To make a permanent switch from junk food to healthy food there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

It is a common misconception that healthy snacks must also taste bland. The truth is far from it. Foods like ramen, tacos, pasta are famous examples of food items that are tasty and healthy. Switch to healthier alternatives, instead of fried potato chips switch to baked potato chips. Switch to sellers like DIP Foods who focus on providing healthy and tasty alternatives instead of buying whatever you find in the store.

Almost all store-bought cold drinks have about 9 to 10 cups of sugar in them. Drinking a single can is similar to eating 9 cups of sugar. Not just that, the sugar content feeds the bacteria in your mouth and helps them dissolve your teeth. Switch out all your cold and sugary drinks for water to help you lose weight, retain your teeth and truly quench your thirst.

To be completely certain that what you’re consuming is healthy it is best to cook your own meals instead of buying store-bought food. Cooking at home is cheaper, healthier and becomes a good excuse for everyone to sit down for a meal together.

Unhealthy food has the advantage of having a high sugar, fat and salt and having expensive ad campaigns running for them while healthy foods merely have the promise that you will live a longer and happier life. While junk food may taste good it makes your body feel tired and sluggish in the short term. Over a long period of time, junk food has been known to cause obesity, depression, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and even cancer. Make the right choice by switching to healthier and tastier foods today.