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)