Comfort Foods: A Social Construct or a Scientific Fact?

As it has been discussed in the reports done by Christensen and Brooks, Hendy, and Triosi and Gabriel, comfort foods are a widely known idea, which most people are able to identify with. It is easy to think of comfort foods as a scientific concept because when someone is in a depressed or otherwise negative mood, they will eat some type of comfort food and their mood will improve for a period of time. For example, when college students are feeling homesick, they will turn to foods like macaroni and cheese to make them feel better about being away from home. Personally, when I am having a bad day and need a pick-me-up, I will turn to Chinese takeout or chocolate ice cream. There is something behind eating certain foods that makes individuals feel better when they are down. However, this could be a completely learned behavior.

In their report, Christensen and Brooks indicate that women consume an increased amount of carbohydrate and fat-rich foods as a coping mechanism. They also suggest that women take part in consuming more comfort food than do men. Each of the three studies identify comfort food as carbohydrate-rich foods, consumed in times of emotional distress. Triosi and Gabriel’s report points to the idea that “the ‘comfort’ in comfort food has real, significant, and consequential psychological roots.” This is a true possibility, but it is also debatable.

For many years, people have been emotionally eating, believing that food will provide the comfort they need to feel better. This response to negative emotions has been passed down through generations. The participation in this behavior may be studied through scientific methods, however I am skeptical about the true scientific nature of comfort foods. I think we all feel better after eating certain foods because we believe that we should; it is completely mental. Unless there are certain compounds in comfort foods that release hormones in our bodies to make us happier, they do not physically alter our moods. If there is no physical component behind comfort foods, altering the chemicals in our blood, they must be a purely social construct.