Specific Food Addiction

[Gomendosi]

That?s probably not its clinical name but I read about it somewhere that people on the spectrum can be easily addicted to some foods.
I never knew this was a thing and I suppose I should do some research, but its one of those things where I am happy to know I am different I just don?t want to dig at exactly how deep that goes.

I can easily find myself chowing down on some snack food or other because I love it and I eat a whole bag or box or whatever, that?s not what I mean here though.
It may be more to do with the texture or specific taste or because you haven?t had it before, that now you have to have it all the time, I don?t know.

Recently I had a job and across from my shop was an Asian kitchen type place and while yes, the lady at the front counter is lovely, I felt I had to go there everyday for lunch and sometimes dinner.
The fact that it was healthy was good too.

Others addictions/ compulsions I have experienced where fried chicken, Burger King, Vanilla ice cream with choc chips in and a few others, oh, lasagna (Garfield addiction simultaneously)

If it's not that uncommon have we got any theories on why we do it?

 

[Arashi222]

I don't think you're alone. I wonder if its not part and parcel of the having obsessions thing with us on the Spectrum??

For me its the having to have Killebrew RootBeer all the time. (but I agree I think its something we do). I've done cereal of varying kinds for weeks and days on end, differing kinds of soda at differing times, Ahhh eating Chef Boyardie Ravioli from the can cold for a month.

 

[HelloDizzy]

Mustard.
Lots of it.

 

[Kelly]

I don't think I'm addicted to any specific food, I go through phases of eating / drinking the same set meals etc and then might change them slightly. Like a few months ago every meal was pasta wheras now I can't stand the taste or texture of it and have moved on to rice dishes. I have a really big thing with taste and texture I can easily eat a whole box, packet or several of certain foods because of the taste, texture or both.

 

[Jessica]

I'm so glad i'm not the only one! I have always gone through weird phases of craving certain foods, I never really thought my food preference could be because of the texture of the food however now I think about it, my food choice is very much based around texture, taste and even temperature of food/drinks for instance at the moment I am craving falafels, quiche (cold), golden syrup and Dr Pepper. Like Az83, I also have a sudden dislike for what used to be the food/drink that I was addicted to. I have always wondered why this was, I guess it must be a part of our obsessive nature, once we find a good thing we will stick to it until we have got sick of it, then move on.

 

[kasmanaft08]

There's one or two things I think I am actually addicted to, but I think with food- its more accurate to describe my love of certain foods as food obsessions. I'll get obsessed with a food the same I would with my interests. I'll buy and eat it tons, get tired with it, and find another. Eventually it revisits itself later on like the rest if my obsessions.

 

[Bay]

Family lore has it that once I was old enough to feed myself, all I would eat was tuna salad. It has been one of my favorite foods all of my life, and I can eat it three times a day.

 

[Harpuia]

Fried Chicken is kind of a year round thing for me as far as addictions go. Others that seem to pop up for me are fish n' chips, corn dogs, pizza, and every once in a while bell peppers... not the spicy kind (IBS won't allow that), but the mild green bell peppers, nicely salted.

And basically anything salty that tastes meaty but isn't too heavy (no red meat) I'm a fan of.

 

[arthurfakaya]

I read somewhere a few years back that some bipolar sufferers have massive cravings for carbohydrates. Perhaps it is a symptom of other conditions as well. It's certainly well known that depression can cause people to eat comfort foods.

 

[Kelly]

At the moment I'm addicted to 5 things...

Apricot wheats - basically mini shredded wheat stuffed with a sort of apricot jam type stuff

Oven bottom muffin rolls(a specific brand that I can't remember but it has a red packet) with chicken & stuffing sandwhich filler & iceberg lettuce

Oven bottom muffin rolls again (because other rolls have too much bread and it makes me feel ill by the time I'm on the second roll) with chicken & sweetcorn sandwhich filler & iceberg lettuce

Muller crunch corner yoghurts, particularly the banana/chocolate flakes and the new eton mess & cherry bakewell ones

Pear & blackberry squash mixed with white grape & blackberry fizzy water

Shopping tomorrow I shall be getting at least 2 week's worth of all of that and that is all I'll be eating, nothing else interests me at the moment.

 

[Csutelan]

Peanut M&Ms. I have to start every day off with a small handful. It somehow makes it easier to deal with the stress of living.

 

[HelloDizzy]

I've been eating a pint of icecream everyday for the past 3 weeks. I have to stop.
I always eat icecream too much in the summer.

 

[RubenX]

Soda pop. Diet, Caffeine Free Soda Pop. Like 6 litters a day.

 

[consultingrodent]

i go through phases i guess you could say where i latch onto a certain kind of food and eat it nonstop for weeks. lately it's pasta with just a tiny amount of tomato sauce and pound cake for some reason. i usually don't like sweet foods, but i'm hooked on it right now.

 

[76054Pluto]

I have had several food cravings/addictions over the years especially if I'm stressed or on certain types of medication. My biggest cravings are for salty foods with strong spicy flavours like curries, dry roasted peanuts and chilli peanuts. I was kind of surprised to learn that a medium sized packet of chilli peanuts (which I can eat in less than an hour) contains just over 1400 calories which my doctor told me was excessive. I definitely think there is a connection between the autism spectrum and specific food cravings/addictions.

 

[King_Oni]

Keeping to the same food over and over... isn't that something of a comfort thing maybe? If I like flavor X, I'll stick to flavor X, and even more so if it makes me feel comfy and not make me get out of my comfort zone.

Quite often I order the same kind of pizza at a specific place, because I know what it tastes like... and I only order it there. Other places, I have other toppings I choose. In general it's not really AS related I think, but if you're specifically going to eat @ place X all the time and order meal X all the time, that might be a bit more Asperger's-like

 

[consultingrodent]

Quite often I order the same kind of pizza at a specific place, because I know what it tastes like... and I only order it there. Other places, I have other toppings I choose. In general it's not really AS related I think, but if you're specifically going to eat @ place X all the time and order meal X all the time, that might be a bit more Asperger's-like

i'm notorious for only eating at specific places and only then specific practically specially ordered food from those places. if i have to eat somewhere i'm unfamiliar with, i will always get chicken fingers, providing they have them.

 

[smith2267]

food addictions

I get hooked on a particular food and eat it almost to exclusion, for awhile, then I switch to another. Anyone else do this?

 

[Arashi222]

Re: food addictions

Oh yah you are not alone. I do that all the time. Right now its Mac & Cheese with A1 sauce. I eat it for almost every meal along with my fav. lemonade.But I too switch it up. In a few months I am sure I will be onto something else.

 

[Loomis]

Re: food addictions

When it comes to ice cream there is only one flavor: butter pecan. I eat other ice cream flavors only because my family wants variety. All other ice cream flavors are inferior to butter pecan.