Comfort Foods May Help With Certain Anxieties, Study Shows

Did your mom always make you French Toast? Or perhaps if was your grandfather who made the majority of your meals? You lived with your grandparents growing up because your parents died in a tragic accident. Whatever the case may be, researchers found that our favorite foods could actually have something to do with the foods that we learned to love as children based on what our caregivers prepared us. And now, that's why they have such a calming and soothing effect

"Comfort foods are often the foods that our caregivers gave us when we were children. As long we have positive association with the person who made that food then there's a good chance that you will be drawn to that food during times of rejection or isolation," said UB psychologist Shira Gabriel, in a news release. "It can be understood as straight-up classical conditioning."

Food is powerful. Not only have certain foods even been used as medicines in the past, but previous research has shown that our favorite foods can help to actually reduce harsh feelings of rejection and isolation.

"Because comfort food has a social function," she added, "it is especially appealing to us when we are feeling lonely or rejected. The current study helps us understand why we might be eating comfort foods even when we're dieting or not particularly hungry."

"For a lot of people it is the food they grew up eating," said Gabriel. "In a previous study, we gave all of the participants chicken noodle soup. But only those who had a social connection to that soup identified it as a comfort food and felt socially accepted after eating it."

Researchers believe that with further studies, there could come new and interesting insight into how we might better manage some vulnerabilities. However, the findings don't come without certain risks. For instance, one shouldn't always be managing their anxieties by eating their favorite foods.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Appetite.

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