Does Eating Comfort Foods Make You Less Susceptible to Pain?

When the going gets tough, some people seek solace by eating their favorite foods. Eating comfort foods such as meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese gives people a feeling of safety and security – reminding them of pleasant times spent around the dinner table with family. It’s not surprising that people gravitate towards comfort foods when they’re feeling down or depressed. As it turns out, there may be a physiologic basis for this. According to a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience eating comfort foods may actually reduce the perception of pain.

The Powerful Psychological Benefits: The Study

When scientists exposed the paws of a rat to a hot stimulus, they found that if they did it when the rats were eating foods with a pleasant taste, the rats were much slower to remove their paw from the heat. When they were offered the rats foods with a bitter taste that they didn’t enjoy, they quickly removed their paw from the heat. They also were slower to react to the heat when they were drinking water which was also perceived as pleasurable for the rats. It seems that when rats are engaged in drinking water or eating foods that give them pleasure, they don’t notice or react to painful stimuli as quickly. The pleasure of eating the food seems to mask the pain to some degree.

Does Eating Comfort Foods Reduce the Perception of Pain?

Researchers think this may explain why some people overeat and gain weight when they’re depressed or anxious. From a biological standpoint, they believe that animals are programmed to eat food when it’s available since they don’t know when they’ll have a chance to eat again. The brain neglects the signal of pain while the animal is eating so the animal can get the nourishment it needs to survive. Humans, too, may be programmed to have reduced awareness of pain when they’re eating comfort foods and other foods they enjoy. The researchers pointed out that babies receiving injections can often be soothed by giving them pleasant tasting sugar water. So, too, humans may feel less anxious or depressed when their eating comfort foods during times of stress.

How Does This Apply to Humans?

It may be that people are hard-wired to reach for a bag of doughnuts or a plate of mashed potatoes when feeling psychological pain. The act of eating comfort foods may temporarily mask the pain and make the discomfort more manageable. Since most comfort foods are high in carbs, these foods may also alter brain neurotransmitters in a way that reduces stressful feelings. Unfortunately, eating comfort foods as a way of dealing with stress can lead to weight gain which may partially account for the high rate of obesity in this country. The bottom line for humans who want to avoid weight gain? It’s important to find ways to deal with stress other than reaching for a bag of potato chips.