High-glycemic foods can lead to feelings of hunger and cause overeating

According to findings published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, high-glycemic foods such as sugary drinks, white bread, and other processed carbohydrates can produce spikes in blood sugar levels which lead to hunger cravings.  Below is an excerpt from the NY Times wellness blog on the findings:

In addition to raising blood sugar, foods that are sugary and highly caloric elicit pronounced responses in distinct areas of the brain involved in reward. Earlier imaging studies have shown, for example, that the main reward and pleasure center, the nucleus accumbens, lights up more intensely for a slice of chocolate cake than for blander foods like vegetables, and the activation tends to be greater in the brains of obese people than it is in those who are lean.

Link: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/27/how-carbs-can-trigger-food-cravings/