Scientists and psychologists continue to unravel the mystery behind why people emotionally eat despite very good intentions to avoid it. We all know that just a few moments after digging into a bowl of Rocky Road ice cream to calm and soothe your nerves inevitably leads to regret. So why do we do it anyway? Here are five fascinating truths about emotional eating that I reveal in a chapter entitled, 15 Fascinating Things You Didn't Know About Emotional Eating in my new book, 50 More Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food.
1.Food only gives you a three-minute fix. A study reported in the Journal of Appetite gave participants chocolate and tested how long the "feel good" feeling lasts. It turns out that comfort and bliss only last three minutes (Macht & Mueller 2007). Three minutes! Isn't it a surprise how short-lived comfort from eating can be?
2.Cake plus guilt equals less weight loss. Cake is a comfort food that can be associated with guilt and worry or pleasure and enjoyment. In a study of dieters, the participants who associated cake with "guilt" vs. "celebration" were less likely to lose weight over a three-month period. Those who had positive feelings and associated cake with being a comfort food were more likely to lose weight during those three months (Kuijer & Boyce 2014). The take-home message: guilt can derail your efforts.
3.Comfort foods are not cross-cultural. Have you assumed that chocolate is the go-to feel-better food everywhere in the world? It's not. People in different countries find comfort from various foods. For example, in Japan, miso soup, okayu (rice porridge that is made when children are sick), and ramen are popular comfort foods. In India, it is samosas, potato-stuffed crisps served with spicy green chutney. In Italy, it's ribbons of fresh pasta or potato gnocchi.
4.There's a gender difference. According to a study by Wansink, Cheney & Chan (2003), males prefer warm, hearty, meal-related comfort foods (such as steak, casseroles, and soup), while females prefer comfort foods that are more snack-related (such as chocolate and ice cream). They hypothesize that many women associate meals with prep-time and work--which is not comforting.
5.Money shapes your perception of comfort foods. A recent study of participants in Canada found that people who are food secure (can routinely afford foods of their choice) describe Kraft Dinner (macaroni and cheese) as a comfort food. In contrast, people who are food insecure (have an inability to obtain sufficient, nutritious, satisfying food choices, or the uncertainty that one will be able to) do not describe Kraft Dinner as comfort food (Rock, McIntyre, & Rondeau, 2009). Because it is an easy and inexpensive meal to prepare, it is often donated to food pantries and becomes a monotonous meal, which does not produce positive feelings. In other words, a comfort food is one of choice, not a necessity.
As you can see from this list, we know a lot about emotional eating, but we still have a long way to go. Every day researchers are continuing to unravel the biological mechanisms (hormones, chemicals, etc.) that lead us to emotional eating. For now, what we do know for sure is that emotional eating does work to soothe your feelings temporarily--but it spirals into more problems and issues when done too frequently or when it is the only thing that makes you feel better.
Read 10 more interesting facts in 50 More Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food such as how PMS impacts food cravings and which food has been found to take away loneliness.
Dr. Susan Albers is a clinical psychologist and NYT bestselling author. Get book bonuses when you order 50 More Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food. Just send your receipt to DrAlbers@eatq.com