Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Hooked summary
Food, Free Will, and How the Food Giants Exploit Our Addictions
23 mins
Brief summary
Hooked by Michael Moss is a revealing book that uncovers the tactics used by food companies to make their products addictive. Moss takes readers on a journey through the science and marketing behind processed foods, shedding light on the harmful effects they have on our health and wellbeing.
Table of Contents
Hooked
Summary of 6 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 6
Science is just beginning to understand how our brains respond to food.
Yale graduate student Ashley Gearhardt was studying our relationship with food in 2007. And when she invited people to her laboratory to talk about food, she made a remarkable discovery.
The stories people told sounded incredibly similar to those told by people addicted to drugs or alcohol. They talked about powerful cravings and how impossible it seemed to give up eating certain foods. They even spoke of dropping out of their social lives to try and get away from the foods they craved.
Here’s the key message: Science is just beginning to understand how our brains respond to food.
Gearhardt decided to run some tests. She put together a survey that asked respondents whether they agreed with statements like “I eat much more of certain foods than I planned” and “I feel sad or nervous when I stop eating certain foods.” Ultimately, Gearhardt concluded that a whopping 15 percent of the American population met the criteria for being addicted to food. What’s more, most of them were severely addicted. These people were overconsuming certain types of food and were losing control. They couldn't stop eating – even when they wanted to.
But what kinds of foods are people addicted to?
By putting participants into an MRI scanner, researchers have been able to study our brain activity when we taste our favorite foods. Incredibly, when some people taste their favorite fast foods, such as cheeseburgers, fried chicken, and ice cream, their brains show a pattern of activity that’s typically associated with taking cocaine. Scientists have concluded that some people’s brains respond in the same way to junk food as they would to addictive drugs. In both cases, their brains shout “This is good, I want more!”
Of course, many of us eat junk food from time to time, and most don’t lose control over how much of it we eat. So doesn’t that prove that it’s not addictive?
Well, the fact that most of us can eat this food without becoming addicted doesn’t matter. In fact, a useful definition of addiction is that it's a repetitive behavior that some people find hard to stop. The key here is some people. In the same way that most people who drink alcohol or occasionally use recreational drugs aren't addicted to them, most people who eat processed food aren't addicted to it either. All that matters is that some people do become addicted, making certain foods, just like alcohol, tobacco, and cocaine, potentially addictive.
Want more?
Read or listen to the key ideas
from 7,500+ titles
Read or listen to the key ideas
from 7,500+ titles
Key ideas in Hooked
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Hooked about?
Hooked (2021) explores our complex relationship with processed food. It explains why certain foods leave us wanting more, and reveals how our brain chemistry and our evolutionary biology are exploited by the fast-food industry.
Hooked Review
Hooked (2014) is a thought-provoking exploration of the science behind addictive products and how companies use this knowledge to capture our attention. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- The book reveals powerful psychological techniques used by companies like Facebook and Instagram to keep us hooked on their products.
- By understanding the psychological triggers that drive addictive behaviors, readers gain valuable insights into their own habits and how to break free from them.
- A wealth of real-world examples demonstrates the societal impact of addictive products and encourages readers to be more mindful of their digital consumption.
Who should read Hooked?
- Parents wanting to give their children a healthy start
- Anyone struggling to lose weight
- Psychology buffs looking for fresh insights
Categories with Hooked
Book summaries like Hooked
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
33 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Hooked FAQs
What is the main message of Hooked?
The main message of Hooked is how to create habit-forming products through the use of psychology and technology.
How long does it take to read Hooked?
The reading time for Hooked varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Hooked a good book? Is it worth reading?
Hooked is a valuable read for anyone interested in understanding how products can be designed to capture user attention and create addictive experiences.
Who is the author of Hooked?
The author of Hooked is Nir Eyal.
What to read after Hooked?
If you're wondering what to read next after Hooked, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- More, Please by Emma Specter
- Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken
- Savor by Thich Nhat Hanh and Lilian Cheung
- Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss
- The Case Against Sugar by Gary Taubes
- Maps of Meaning by Jordan B. Peterson
- On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
- Game Changers by Dave Asprey