Comfort Food

Written by Ady Johnson    Monday, 11 February 2008

It is a simple food or drink that is usually home-cooked, or consumed in informal restaurants. Inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to prepare, many people turn to comfort food for familiarity, emotional security, or special reward. Small children often seem to latch on to a specific food or drink and will repeatedly request it in high stress situations. Adults eat comfort food for a sense of continuity. Comfort foods are composed largely of simple or complex carbohydrate, such as sugar, rice, refined wheat, and so on. “Comfort food” can often be the easiest, most convenient means of stress relief. Stress and anxiety are facets of modern life that you can not get rid of, no matter how hard you try. In some cases, it might not even be a practical option! So naturally, the body adjusts and the mind finds an acceptable alternative way to relieve all that stress. This is for the sake of maintaining mental health, of course. Evidently, there is more to eating “comfort food” than initially thought of. Science is starting to discover some information on this field. Moods can be dictated by the chemicals that control the central nervous system. It is also medically fit to state that certain activities and foods cause the body to release some biochemical compounds that affect the mood. For example, exercise and chocolate, both cause the body to produce larger numbers of endorphins. Endorphins make people feel happy. Exercise is not really an option at all times. So that leaves the easier, more readily available alternative. Mental health experts also suggest that “comfort food” can also be linked to memories, and not merely their potential psychoactive effects. There is a reported evidence that suggests, some people take comfort in certain foods due to a link to a positive experience or loved one from the past. The positive memories can sometimes be enough to trigger the central nervous system to produce a variety of chemicals that have positive effects on mood and performance. A man’s eating behavior relates to his childhood likings In an evolutionary biology, “comfort food” also makes sense, it would seem. Most “comfort food” tends to be of the high-energy category. Typically these give the body a sudden energy boost. The tendency of people to eat high-energy foods during moments of stress and anxiety related to the natural survival instinct. During the times of stress, functioning is compromised and anything that can facilitate that problem could prove critical to survival in a natural environment. Take the words “natural environment” and replace them with “corporate workplace” and you've got a perfectly appropriate comparison. The quick boost of energy from comfort foods – whether it happens to be dark chocolate or a greasy cheeseburger – could be what the mind needs to stay sharp. It may appear that the science behind “comfort food” is more complex than initially believed. Despite the risks of obesity, people will still turn to food as a quick source of relief. They do not mind even if it could cost them dearly, when they pick the wrong weight loss pill to compensate for their eating binges. This is because; good food is so damn hard to turn down.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 February 2008 )