It’s Christmas time and it’s evil corn yet again! When you eat that Christmas dinner, remember this: A diet high in fructose increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. And it doesn’t take a lot of fruit: The high fructose corn syrup in those sodas and processed foods you eat and drink will do it. And high fat diets are not only addicting, they lead to depression (and what about that wine?).

Today Americans consume 30% more fructose than they did 20 years ago and up to four times more than 100 years ago, when obesity rates were less than 5%. So why can’t we stay away from junk food? The reason: It’s addictive. It leads to addictive behavior in rats that is similar to the behavior of rats addicted to heroin. Researcher Paul Johnson says, “This is the most complete evidence to date that suggests obesity and drug addiction have common neurobiological underpinnings.”

The final blow: Eating a diet high in processed foods increases your risk of depression. This has been discovered at a time when people’s diets are becoming increasingly unhealthy. BBC News quote psychologist Andrew McCulloch as saying, “This study adds to an existing body of solid research that shows the strong links between what we eat and our mental health. Major studies like this are crucial because they hold the key to us better understanding mental illness.”

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