Here’s Why We Crave Comfort Food

We love comfort food, and that's a given. But, have you ever wondered why we crave comfort food. Obviously, it tastes good and satisfies a longing for stick to your ribs, rich sustenance. However, there are actually scientific and psychological reasons behind those cravings. So, let's examine those reasons and even get a look at one of my favorite comfort food recipes.

According to a study by the University of Alabama, Birmingham, among those surveyed, top choices for comfort foods were chips, pizza, pasta, cookies and burgers. That's not surprising. However, the study broke down the study of why we crave comfort food along gender lines. And, what they found boils down to a simple dividing line. Women lean toward sweeter items, while men typically favor meat.

And, there's another interesting fact about why we crave comfort food while looking at gender differences. Women seek out comfort food when we're sad or lonely. But, men use comfort food as a reward. So, women associate these foods with negative feelings, while they tend to be positive for men. Bad news for me...I seek out comfort food for both scenarios.

Now, let's get down to the science of why we crave comfort food. Food items that have a pleasant taste, release opiates. And, sugary, high calorie foods release serotonin, causing a mood elevation. So, we get a bit of a high in essence.

So, there is science to our cravings of comfort food. But, we can't rule out nostalgia and happy memories we associate with certain foods. Perhaps mom made the best chocolate chip cookies or spaghetti and meatballs. And, now to feel the warm fuzzy feelings of home and childhood, we indulge in those dishes.

But, regardless of why we crave comfort food, we all have those favorite recipes. And, I thought I should share one of mine with you. This one always gets rave reviews. And, what's more comforting than coming home from a long day at work to the smells of Korean Short Ribs in the slow cooker?!