Comfort food?
Table of Contents
What is it???
What is comfort food?
Is it related to comfortable cooking?
Does It help mentally?
Is it healthy?
We’ve lots and lots of questions regarding comfort food. It’s still the ultimate solution to all problems at least for the time when we are consuming it.
What is comfort food?
Comfort food is considered as food which helps us overcome stress and makes us feel comfy.
It could be due to
- sentimental attachments
- nostalgia
- self-deprivement
- availability
- ease of cooking
Anything which helps us de-stress during difficult situations like break up, examination time, PMS etc. is a comfort food. At times we relate food to a happy occasion or a person and that makes us happy during our low time.
Females are more inclined towards ice-cream, chocolates or snacks like a burger, French fries since they are most of the times health conscious and in the food-deprived state. So during times of mental or emotional stress, they go into binge eating and it aggravates the elation and well-being in them.
Why do I need it?
It’s considered to relieve stress, so at times even if it’s high-cal it’s a necessity. Comfort food varied for each person. Some people like to associate some dish with a close person or a place like parathas just the way my mom made, or omelet just like Lamba’s café of my college.
When we’re stressed it helps to remind ourselves of good times and close person which, at times are not available so we fall upon the next best thing associated with them ie “FOOD”.
What kind of food is comfort food?
Any food which cuddles you like a blanket or takes you back to good old days could be considered as comfort food. For women usually, chocolates and ice creams are at the top.
it could be anything like for me its burger with French fries. I use to order Mc Donald’s just to remember my good days when I use to drive to Manesar Mc Donald’s with friends and spend the night sitting talking and laughing. Although everyone has moved on but, that place and it’s burger has memories which I like to relive when I’m feeling blue.
Does it help?
Scientifically there have been many studies to prove any association of hormonal releases but they’re still working on it. Though it has been proven that it causes emotional upliftment and mood elation. Even the association of fatty food or high call food has been found. The more fatty/ unhealthy/ high-cal the food is the more it helps.
Imagine that!!!
I do agree with it.
Does it matter?
Well to tell you truth it doesn’t matter what brings me happiness, all that counts is when I’m low and lonely I’m happy. Even if my company is 400ml ice cream tub. I’m loving it.
Being happy is a feeling and it should not matter how we are getting it. Until unless we are not hurting anyone. We should just do it.
Food is harmless (most of the times, so don’t forget gym after spending the night with ice cream) and it has been related to my things like:
- Religion
- Nationality
- Race
- Caste
- Emotions
- Festivals
So if we are relating food to well-being then it’s worth it.
Be happy and enjoy life.
I think in different phases of life, I have had different comfort foods. Food cooked by mom tops the list along with Maggi, vegetable pulao, dal-chawal! There’s something so satisfying and comforting about these foods! 😀
That’s a pretty good discussion on comfort food. I have never analyzed it. My comfort food has always been curd rice. And fortunately, it delivers on all the points you’ve raised. I am glad of it because imagine having samosas or burgers – that would not be ideal!
there’s a theory to that too, the more unhealthy the food is the more better you feel after having it.
Hahaha! False sense of happiness