Comfort Food

Question:

What are the types of foods to eat when we are stressed? Why does comfort eating exist?

Answer:

Answer: When we are stressed, we often crave for foods rich in sugar and fat. Sugar provides a rapid source of energy. In fact, our brain can only use sugar as an energy source. Fat is calorie-dense and a useful form of energy storage. In stressful situations, we tend to look for help or solutions. Some may find comfort eating stress relieving. They derive pleasure from eating and this temporary distracts them from the stress. Comfort eating may also be habitual. For example, a crying child is often comforted by food. This emotionally-based childhood eating habit can be carried over into adulthood.