Emotions Can Affect Our Eating Choices
The ads are not completely lying. Food does help us to feel better and can help to soothe our emotions, at least in the short-term. Stress or other emotions can affect the types of choices we make (double cheeseburger instead of salad with grilled chicken) or the amount we eat (half a birthday cake instead of one slice). And for a few seconds, it absolutely works. Our brain’s reward area becomes active, our body might feel a little calmer, and we feel good.
Unfortunately, the list of needs that food can meet goes on. Food can help us feel less bored. Often it can distract us from other things that are uncomfortable, like being dissatisfied with our job, our relationship(s), or the general direction of our life.
The problem is, when we eat when we are not actually hungry, it’s actually less rewarding than eating when we are hungry. Over time, we feel less good when we eat cookies or pizza, so we need more of those high sugar, fat, or salty foods to get the same effect.
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