At the end of a stressful work day, many of us find ourselves reaching for comfort foods. Think: takeaways, crisps, chocolate.
These stodgy, calorie-dense foods feel, well, comforting and like a natural go-to when you need to feel a little better.
However, according to a team of researchers from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, our tendency for those sweet, salty, stodgy foods in times of stress is not great for our long-term wellbeing.
And it could be rewiring our brains, too.
Comfort foods change our brain
When we combine stress and calorie-dense foods, we create changes in the brain that drive us to eat more, crave sweet foods more, and when we frequently choose comfort foods, we put ourselves at risk of excess weight gain, the Sydney scientists said.
This is because, when we are experiencing symptoms of stress, they override the brain’s natural response to satiety (feeling full), leading to signals in the brain constantly pushing for eating more of these tasty foods.
Basically, the more you eat, the more you want to eat. That does explain why comfort foods are so endlessly moreish.
“Our findings reveal stress can override a natural brain response that diminishes the pleasure gained from eating – meaning the brain is continuously rewarded to eat,” says Professor Herzog, senior author of the study and visiting scientist at the Garvan Institute.
Chronic stress can lead to weight gain
Some people do eat less when they’re stressed – but for most of us, we find moments of comfort in the foods we eat during these periods.
Researchers hoped to learn what drives these habits and investigated using mouse models. What they discovered was that the lateral habenula – the part of the brain that is involved in “switching off” reward responses – was ineffective in mice during times of chronic stress and, in turn, encouraged overeating.
The researchers added: “We found that stressed mice on a high-fat diet gained twice as much weight as mice on the same diet that were not stressed.”
Researchers then provided mice with the options of plain water or artificially sweetened water.
They found that stressed mice on a high-fat diet consumed three times more sucralose (sweetener) than mice that were not stressed but on the same diet.
A healthy diet is best during times of high stress
The researchers stated that their findings identified stress as a critical regulator of eating habits that can change override the body’s natural ability to balance energy needs.
They were also keen to emphasise that a healthy diet is your best foot-forward in times of chronic stress.
Professor Herzog, senior author of the study, concluded: ”This research emphasises just how much stress can compromise a healthy energy metabolism. It’s a reminder to avoid a stressful lifestyle, and crucially – if you are dealing with long-term stress – try to eat a healthy diet and lock away the junk food.”