Food is life; it gives us the nourishment we need to stay alive and be healthy. Usually, we eat because we are hungry or need energy. Brian Wansink, a professor at the University of Illinois, says we also eat certain foods because they make us feel good, and remind us of happy memories. For some people, ice cream is a comfort food. For others, a bowl of noodles makes them feel good.
Professor Wansink believes that we associate food with important times, feelings, and people in our lives. “When I was a child, my mother made a delicious soup; I loved it. And it helps me feel better,” says one of Wansink's co-workers.
Do men and women choose different comfort foods? Wansink's research at the University of Illinois says “yes”. In his study, the favorite comfort food for both men and women is ice cream. Besides this, men usually prefer hot, delicious foods like soup or noodles. Men and women like to eat comfort foods when they are happy, but women eat these foods more when they are sad or worried.
About 40 percent of the comfort foods in Wansink's study are healthy dishes like soups and vegetables. It shows, says Wansink, that a comfort food can taste good and be good for you overall.
| A. Not all comfort foods are junk food. B. Where can we buy this sort of food? C. Sweet foods are also their preference. D. How does a food become the comfort food? E. Wansink calls this kind of food the comfort food. F. Women like sweet things such as chocolate and candies. G. Now, I often eat this soup when I am tired or worried. |
