Salt, sugar and grease -- a recipe for happiness?

by Nicole Weston, Posted Jan 9th 2007 @ 9:03AM

Sarah mentioned yesterday that there are some healthy foods that work as mood elevators, but those foods aren't necessarily what people turn to when they're feeling low. A new study calculated that people who are sad "eat larger amounts of foods they consider tasty, but unhealthy."

The trial was put on by researchers at the University of Mississippi, who invited participants to watch either a tearful romance, Love Story, or a romantic comedy, Sweet Home Alabama, and monitored the amount of buttered, salted popcorn they ate. Unhappy viewers, those watching Love Story, are 28 percent more than their Reese Witherspoon-watching counterparts. A second experiment drove the point even further home by demonstrating that students reading about a tragedy (accidental deaths caused by a fire, not the Greek sort) were 4 times more likely to reach for M&Ms than raisins when both were set out as options.

It is certainly something to keep in mind the next time you're heading to the theater and are wondering whether to get popcorn and candy or skip the snack bar altogether.

Source

Filed Under: Science, Health & Medical, Ingredients
Tags: america, binge, binge eating, butter, candy, comfort food, eating, happiness, happy, health, overeating, popcorn, research, sad, saddness, salt, science, snacks, study, sugar, unhappy

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Reader comments (Page 3 of 3)

1-14-2007 @3:49AM Louis Bouis said... Hey travelinzoo - Hang in there. You are on the money, but please know that it's a good life if we don't weaken. K?
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1-14-2007 @4:10AM Rose c. Sanders said... As someone else wrote when something happens to make me sad I lose my appetite,can't eat.
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1-14-2007 @4:55AM Vanessa said... yea, i agree...if im really sad, i dont eat...i may have a glass of wine or 2, but eating is on the last of my list. however, i tend to snack when my work schedule is changed, which happens often...this is why im a balooning 138 pounds. thank GOD i found the effin gym! ill be 125 in 2 months, at most! 1000-1500 calories a day, plus a workout every day! it works, and i feel great!
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1-17-2007 @4:20PM ray said... it's obvious that people who were watching a sadder movie would eat more. no matter how sad you are, or aren't, a sadder movie will start something inside of you so that you will want to eat. stupid obese america.
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1-17-2007 @6:17AM Rachel said... The trick is to find your favorite healthy food and keep it in the house at all times if possible. For me it's fresh ripe strawberries or Fresh green beans with garlic and olive oil. If you keep out the junk food but indulge and keep your favorite healthy things around its a logical choice. 90% of the time you'll stay in and eat those as opposed to going all the way to the store to buy the junk food. Unless it's that time of the month. Then only chocolate will do.
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