The other day I remarked that I felt that wheat was addictive because I seem to always be tempted into eating it even though I have Celiac Disease and it is forbidden in my diet. I also have lactose intolerance and am forbidden to eat dairy products. I had not read anything about it, so I did some sleuthing and found this article:

Exorphins
Pieces of milk and wheat proteins (peptides) can act like the body's own narcotics, the endorphins, and were described by Zioudro, Streaty and Klee as "exorphins" in 1979. Other food proteins, such as gluten, results in the production of substances having opiate- (narcotic) like activity. These substances have been termed "exorphins." Hydrolyzed wheat gluten, for example, was found to prolong intestinal transit time and this effect was reversed by concomitant administration of naloxone, a narcotic-blocking drug. Digests of milk proteins also are opioid peptides. The brain effects of exorphins may contribute to the mental disturbances and appetite disorders which routinely accompany food-related illness. The possibility that exorphins are addictive in some people is a fascinating lead which needs further exploration.

Another mechanism, similar to dependency on food-derived neuroactive peptides such as exorphins, would be a dependency on gastrointestinal peptides, released from the bowel during digestion. Deficiencies in the bowel production of regulatory addictive peptides, such as endorphins, would likely be associated with cravings and compulsions to increase food ingestion. Eugenio Paroli reviewed the peptide research, especially the link between food and schizophrenia. He suggested: "The discovery that opioid peptides are released by the digestion of certain food has followed a line of research that assumes pathogenic connections between schizophrenic psychosis and diet." http://www.nutramed.com/eatingdisor...ictivefoods.htm

What this means is that certain foods such those which contain gluten and dairy can drug us. That is probably why after eating bread, pasta, etc. with a glass of milk we feel sleepy and also why we crave that sort of food. The Whole 30 program solves that problem. I plan to stay on it for life.

Here is some more interesting info about it:

http://www.trackyourplaque.com/blog...-exorphins.html

Just google exorphin or exorphins to find out more about food addiction.