Avoiding Comfort Food Side Effects

Looking for more comfort food with less side effects?

It may help to understand why we turn to familiar food for comforting.

We are usually looking for an easy way to change how we feel.

We want to relax, we want to reduce stress, we want to feel happy instead of sad.

But there are side effects.

Like belly fat increasing our waistlines.

Like overloaded arteries.

Like increased disease risks.

Researchers have found that people who feel sad eat up to 36% more comfort food than those who feel happy.

They tested people eating popcorn while watching either the romantic comedy "Sweet Home Alabama," or the romantic tragedy "Love Story."

The tragedy made people eat more high calorie movie popcorn (Wansink B, Cornell University, 2007).

Try green tea

But how can we all learn to avoid high calorie choices when we want to drown our sorrows or change how we feel?

An excellent choice is green tea. Green tea is prepared without milk or sugar, so there are less than two calories per cup.

By controlling calories, green tea can help weight management. By giving us a break, drinking green tea can help reduce stress

Then there's the surprise bonus. Many complex chemicals in tea can help the body and brain, including our mental focus.

Tea just makes us feel better.