12. Comfort Food
Jordan L. LeBel, Hotel Administration, and research colleagues found that while women indulge in comfort foods when feeling down, men indulge as an enhancement when they are feeling their best. Their study confirmed the eating of comfort foods as a strategy to alleviate stress, sadness, and other negative emotions, but the study revealed that pleasure and positive emotions can also determine food choice, particularly in men. Men and older adults are more likely to report higher positive emotions after eating their favorite comfort food than women and younger adults. Comfort foods can produce feelings of guilt, particularly in women. The study also showed that foods high in sugar and fat are more efficient in alleviating negative feelings, while foods with fewer calories are more efficient in increasing positive emotions. Men’s comfort foods include protein-dense foods, such as steak, and women and younger adults prefer high-calorie sweet snack foods, like chocolate and ice cream.