When we are feeling down or stressed out with life, we often crave for some food that will help us feel happy. More often these "comforting" food are flavourful and unhealthy.
The yellow glowing macaroni and cheese that you prepared from the magical little blue box.
Well in 2011 a research was done at University of Leuven in Belgium. Showing that it's those fatty acid in food that gave us the positive feeling.
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They were then subjected to sad or neutral classical music with corresponding images of sad or neutral facial expressions. The brains were surveyed with fMRI scans. Results: Participants who were fed with fatty acid were half as sad compared to the ones who were fed with saline solution.
But! Recently there is another fascinating comfort food research conducted, by St. Bonaventure University in new york. They found out that by sketching pictures of unhealthy food, without consuming it, can also help us feel positive.
The yellow glowing macaroni and cheese that you prepared from the magical little blue box.
The respawning chocolate chips cookie crumbs that was left in your cookie jar.
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| Macaroni and Cheese |
Have you ever wondered why do we feel happy after consuming such unhealthy food ?
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Research details for geeks like you and me:
Healthy participants were fed with either fatty acids or a saline solution through a feeding tube.They were then subjected to sad or neutral classical music with corresponding images of sad or neutral facial expressions. The brains were surveyed with fMRI scans. Results: Participants who were fed with fatty acid were half as sad compared to the ones who were fed with saline solution.
Research details :
Subjects were separated in to groups. All were given three coloured pencils: red green and black
Group 1 drew cupcakes which are high in fat and sugar
Group 2 drew pizza, high in fat low in sugar
Group 3 drew strawberries, low in fat but high in sugar
Group 4 drew peppers, low for both.
Results: Sketching pizza improve subject's mood by 28 percent followed by cupcakes with 27 percent, strawberries 22 percent and peppers sketchers only had 1 percent boost.
This study was published in the Journal of Behavioural and Brain Science
So, the next time when you are feeling unhappy. Don't gorge yourself with food, but instead, draw yourself a big pizza or your favourite comfort food.
And who knows? You may shed a few pounds by staring at my sketched pizza.
You need real food?
And who knows? You may shed a few pounds by staring at my sketched pizza.
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| My Red green black Pizza |
How about making yourself a healthy spinach garlic white pizza
or a steamy comfort dish.