By Kristen Oliveri
In recent scientific studies, researchers have heavily investigated the world of comfort foods and have focused on the temporary effects of lessening stress.
Scientists have found that those people who eventually give into temptation and allow all their stresses to be eased with these indulgent comfort foods find an effective way to lower escalating stress levels in every day life.
A New York Times article from Sept. 16, 2003 said, “A study of perpetually stressed laboratory rats found that being fed sugar provided a calming effect on the animals.”
Researchers from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences connected this finding with the human pattern of seeking comfort food when under continual stress.”
The University of California at San Francisco, has been diligently conducting experiments to find the truth about “sinful snacking.” The researchers at UCSF have said that by eating that random package of Twinkies, a plate full of nachos and cheese, or that 5000-calorie Frapaccino, one is likely to alleviate stressful symptoms.
Sandra Blakeslee of the New York Times wrote in the Sept. 16 issue, “Comfort foods like chocolate cake and ice cream literally blunt the body’s response to chronic stress, scientists reported.”
Many Northeastern students indulge in comfort foods after midterms, relationship woes or even stressful work situations.
“I tend to find my way into a nice pint of Rocky Road after a long day of chemistry quizzes and calculus homework. Sometimes, you just need some sugar,” said Rachel Mullen, a freshman biology major.
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences warns that even though these particular foods may comfort stress at a particular moment in time, they can also have devastating effects in the long run.
One must be aware of the dangers of binge eating and overeating that coincide with the occasional bad day.
This is the first time it has been shown that the tendency to overeat in the face of chronic stress is biologically driven. If someone is overly stressed, it’s probably a good idea to overeat, at least in the short run, said Dr. Norman Pecoraro of the UCSF.
“But if you develop a thick tire of fat around your abdomen, you need to figure out a way to reduce your stress or you’ll be inviting all sorts of chronic health problems,” Pecoraro said.
Pecoraro proceeded to investigate the two different types of stress, acute and chronic, that may even plague Northeastern University’s students.
Acute stress has been descried as “when a single event, like getting cut off on the highway, sets off an alarm response in the brain. Signals are sent to the body’s adrenal glands, which release a cascade of stress hormones.”
Chronic stress, however, is “like getting cut off on the freeway several times a day, stress hormones become chronically elevated,” Blakeslee said.
“I do feel the urge to eat some ice cream or grab some potato chips when I’m feeling depressed or just plain out of it,” said Crissie Manfre, a freshman psychology major. “But I know for my own self that I have to monitor everything that I choose to put into my body. Too much of anything can’t be a good thing.”
