Comfort Foods Really Work

Comfort foods like ice cream and chips really do make us feel better.

Researchers carried out brain scans on volunteers who were played sad music and shown pictures of people with downcast expressions.

Without knowing which was which, they were given either a fatty or saline solution via a feeding tube.

Images of their brain waves showed the volunteers who had the saline became four percent more depressed by the music and pictures.

However, those who had the fatty solution stayed cheerful and their mood was hardly affected by the music and images.

So, they say it is not just the pleasurable taste and texture of comfort foods that boosts mood. The findings suggest signals are sent straight from the gut to the brain, which influence how we feel.

What is your favorite comfort food?  I love Stouffer's Macaroni and Cheese, but not in the microwave.  It takes an hour to bake, and I don't do it very often, because I read the label.