Chips, cookies and ice cream... These tasty foods, which are ultra-processed, may literally make you an "addict", as shown in a recent report in the British Medical Journal.

Simply put, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are the foods that you can't re-create in your kitchen, according to the BBC. Produced in factories, they often have long lists of ingredients that you don't recognize, such as additives (添加剂), and are ready to eat or simply need to be heated.

The study's researchers linked UPFs to addiction which includes behaviors like strong desire and negative experiences when trying to stop eating. They analyzed 281 studies from 36 different countries and regions. The findings showed that 14 percent of adults and 12 percent of children have ultra-processed food addiction.

UPFs deliver carbohydrates and fat to the gut (肠) faster. Although nuts are high in fat, the fat can't be digested (消化) in the early stages. The fat in UPFs, however, is broken down before entering the first part of the small gut, which signals the brain to produce more dopamine-the "happy" chemical.

The additives in UPFs also impact the way the gut absorbs calories. To improve the flavor of the food or drink, man-made sugar is widely used in UPFs. However, it may combine with receptors in the gut, which makes it more sensitive to sweet food, eventually increasing the gut's ability to absorb sugar.

By considering that certain UPFs are "addictive", similar to cigarettes or alcohol, "We may be able to help improve global health," one of the study's authors, Ashley Gearhardt, said in a press release. They are also calling for more action to fight against such an addiction.