Emotions and Food: Do They Go Hand in Hand?

Eating not only provides nutrition but is also pleasurable and stress-relieving. That's why, when we feel tired, sad, anxious, or emotionally distressed, we often turn to food to feel better. Even sleep deprivation can cause stress and increase hormones in the body that stimulate cravings.

There are actually foods that help calm anxiety and sadness because they contain tryptophan, an amino acid that stimulates the release of serotonin, relaxing us and making us happier. Examples of these foods include chocolate, eggs, nuts, chicken, and turkey. A lack of serotonin causes various negative effects on the body, such as anxiety, sadness, and irritability. Since the body doesn't produce tryptophan, it must be obtained through diet; therefore, foods rich in this amino acid act as natural antidepressants .

Serotonin is linked to a greater sense of well-being and relaxation, better sleep, higher self-esteem , improved concentration, and a better mood. Furthermore, serotonin plays an important role in the brain by regulating the balance between other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). These neurotransmitters are important because they are associated with distress, anxiety, and eating disorders. 

From birth and as we grow, we form our personality, our bonds with other people, with the environment, and of course also with food. For this and many other reasons, it is to be expected that there is a close relationship between emotions and food.

Emotions play an important role in the choice, quality, and quantity of food intake, and there is also a bidirectional relationship with eating behavior, since there are emotions that encourage the consumption of certain foods, as well as there are foods that generate certain emotions; given this, research on emotion and eating behavior is not without its complexities.

How do emotions regulate eating?

Regulating emotions is essential for maintaining self-control in many areas of life, and a failure to regulate mood and/or feelings can influence eating and impulse control. Negative emotional states (anger, apathy, frustration, stress, fear, sadness, anxiety, restlessness, loneliness, boredom) contribute to a lack of self-control because people try to regulate the negative emotion at the expense of other forms of self-control. When trying to regulate a negative emotion, people commonly use food, drugs, alcohol, and other means. Therefore, the individual attempts to control the negative mood by increasing food intake, which makes it clear that the person prioritizes mood control (feeling better) over self-control in their eating behavior, neglecting other priorities, such as maintaining body weight.

Humans seek nourishment far beyond a physiological need; they enjoy food through its taste, smell, texture, color, and even its sound. However, abusing the pleasurable act of eating, doing so excessively or even compulsively, can not only make us feel more tired and constantly seek more food, but can also cause serious health problems. Eating with our palate is a behavior linked to pleasure, and therefore the reward system , mediated by dopamine , comes into play. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that actively participates in reinforcing pleasurable behaviors such as sex or drug use.

Ideally: A balance between emotions and food. 

To prevent eating from being purely emotional—that is, to ensure that our food intake isn't always driven by emotions but rather aligns more closely with genuine hunger—we must understand that "food provides pleasure and relieves stress, but it doesn't solve our problems and only temporarily soothes anxiety." Furthermore, we can turn to other pleasurable activities that don't involve eating, such as reading, listening to music, walking, or talking with a friend.

If we allow food to enter our bodies in response to every emotion, we will end up with an excess of calories that can lead to obesity in the long term; and if, on the contrary, we repress our desires to eat something that gives us pleasure, we will also be altering the balance, because when we finally allow ourselves to eat a cake we will not enjoy it and afterwards we will feel guilty for having done so, when it is totally normal to feel pleasure from a little sweetness.

Ultimately, to establish a balance that does not harm our health, we must control emotional eating and, at the same time, allow ourselves to occasionally eat for pleasure, enjoying a tasty and emotionally charged dish; without letting this act that links emotions and food become habitual, so as not to fall into a harmful cycle for the body.

Foods that help with emotional balance

The nutrients in some foods are an extraordinary aid in maintaining emotional balance. There are many options you could include in your daily diet.

Omega 3

These healthy fats form the basis of a type of diet that is particularly anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and supportive of emotional well-being. Students who incorporate them into their diet through food (vegetable oils, nuts, etc.) or in supplement form show a decrease in anxiety levels, as well as a reduction in symptoms of depression.

Turmeric

Curcumin has many beneficial activities in the body. In addition to its antitumor, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, among many others, it possesses the valuable ability to cross the blood-brain barrier into the brain, where it exerts its neuroprotective role (beneficial for neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, stroke, etc.), and is capable of improving mood.

Fermented foods and probiotics

Many fermented vegetables and dairy products act as a balancer of the gut microbiota, the microorganism responsible for producing most of the body's serotonin, the main neurotransmitter related to mood. Ninety-five percent of serotonin is produced in the gut and, among other functions, regulates mood, emotions, and appetite.

Dried fruit

In general, they all provide various minerals, such as magnesium and iron, which prevent neuronal fatigue and associated states of anxiety. Some, like cashews, are especially rich in tryptophan, the amino acid precursor to serotonin, the neurotransmitter that promotes serenity, calmness, and patience, as well as helping with sleep and relaxation.

Red fruits

Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, pomegranates, blueberries, and other fruits, rich in flavonoids and anthocyanins, offer an unparalleled array of healthy substances that are highly beneficial for relieving stress and anxiety. They contribute to the production of dopamine , which facilitates cognitive function and promotes a balanced mood.

Chocolate, tea and coffee

Green tea is known for its antioxidant properties. Coffee is a stimulant of the central nervous system; in appropriate small doses, it increases endorphin levels, and dark chocolate, without added sugar, reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, and promotes well-being and a good mood.

It's clear that emotions and food go hand in hand, forming a complex link where everything we eat can be rooted in our emotions, and likewise, our diet can influence our mood and emotional state. If we become aware of this two-way relationship, it will be easier to achieve the balance that leads us to eat in the most appropriate way.

Ramona Ávila Núñez, PhD

Reference

Palomino-Pérez, Ana María. (2020). Role of emotion in eating behavior. Chilean Journal of Nutrition , 47 (2), 286-291. https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-75182020000200286