
It might be time to rename so-called "comfort foods."
A new study released in the journal Health Psychology decided to test if comfort food made people in blue moods feel better.
Participants self-identified their favorite comfort foods, then watched a 20-minute video designed to induce anxiety and sadness.
Once the participants were down, they were separated into three groups -- one received a comfort food of choice, one received a "neutral" food, and the third received no food.
Foods classified as "comfort" did improve mood, but so did any food, or no food at all.
What really cures a bad mood? Time, and the innate ability to feel better.
There is one caveat -- if a person believes the food to improve mood, then it might, based solely on the placebo effect.
Read More:
- Forget What You Thought You Knew About Comfort Food And Mood (Forbes)
- Diet Tip: The Unexpected Effect of Comfort Food on Bad Moods (PsyBlog)