Part II: THE HIJACKED SIGNALS
Chapter 4: When Biology Meets Industry
"How processed food companies exploit evolutionary biology"
Food companies employ teams of scientists whose sole job is to understand your evolutionary biology well enough to exploit it for profit. They know that humans are hardwired to seek out sweet, salty, and fatty foods because these flavors once indicated rare, life-sustaining nutrients. They understand exactly how to combine these elements to trigger the release of dopamine in your brain, creating the same reward pathways activated by addictive drugs. This chapter pulls back the curtain on how the modern food industry has weaponized your ancient survival mechanisms, creating "foods" that hijack your brain's reward system while providing none of the nutrients your body actually needs. We'll explore the science of food addiction, examine how marketing targets your subconscious decision-making processes, and learn to recognize the difference between authentic hunger signals and manufactured cravings—giving you the knowledge to reclaim your body's natural intelligence around food.