Does comfort food really comfort us?
The Food Chain
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The Effects of Comfort Foods on the Brain
Fat contains lots of calories, it's a good source of fuel and a balm for starvation. So the brain releases happy chemicals when we eat it so we're motivated to find and eat it again. But comfort foods aren't always fatty, what about my mashed potato, case rice or pasta? These are all quite carbohydrate heavy and in the gut, carbs are converted or broken down into smaller units of sugar such as glucose. Glucose is the most important source of energy for the brain so our brain needs glucose all the time. There's lots of evidence that this will have negative impact on your brain including increasing the risk for all kinds of mood disorders like depression etc.
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