After a painful break-up or a bad fight, many people turn to the comfort of food to fill the void and soothe their emotional pain. Whether it's the infamous pint of Ben & Jerry's or a deep-dish pizza with extra cheese, everyone has their go-to comfort foods.
New research conducted by Jordan Troisi and Shira Gabriel suggests that certain foods are comforting not only because they taste good and distract us from our pain, but
more importantly because they remind us of close relationships, helping us feel less alone. In other words, because we tend to eat certain foods in the company of loved ones, over time we develop a cognitive association between the foods and the feeling of being loved and cared for (e.g., chicken soup when we're sick, cake at birthday parties). When we're feeling hurt or lonely, these foods bring back those feelings of acceptance, just as other types of "social surrogates" - like TV characters or our favorite reality show contestants - serve to make us feel more connected to others even when others are absent.
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