Mood And Comfort Food: How They're Connected

A study conducted by a team from the Department of Industrial Psychology at Gwangwoon University has revealed that a person's preference for comfort is a matter of current mood or emotion, according to The Korea Times' report.

Headed by Professor Lee Sang-hee, the research involved 417 subjects consisting of Korean students in Seoul and throughout the city area.

The results revealed that college students in a happy disposition craved for meat dishes, while those in a bad mood looked for spicy food and alcohol.

The team considered gender a strong factor on the food preference of a person. For example, females craved for fried chicken when feeling happy, while males settled for meat dishes.

The top three comfort foods and drinks for male students were alcohol, fried chicken and meat when having fun. Female students, on the other hand, went for fried chicken, ice cream, pizza and spaghetti as their top favorites.

Alcohol was also the primary choice of male students when sad. After that, they went for chocolate and other beverages. The top choices of female students included chocolate, alcohol and spicy food.

When feeling angry, male students went for alcohol, spicy food and other beverages. Female students, on the other hand, chose spicy food. Chocolate and alcohol ranked second and third (respectively) in their top picks when irritated.

While this study revealed these results, another study discovered that eating healthy foods, such as vegetables and fruits, could reduce anxiety and depression. Too much caffeine and alcohol intake, on the other hand, could enhance negative feelings. People who prefer fatty, sugary or salty food were more likely to feel down. Those who chose to eat healthy appeared to have a positive mood and outlook.