Food, An Emotional Escape

In a moment of crisis, diet can be affected, to the point of serving in many cases as a true emotional escape. That is why it is said that emotions are not only felt, but also eaten. 

Let’s dive into this interesting topic below.

Eating is much more than satisfying your appetite

Eating is more than just satiating your appetite or getting nutrients and energy from food. In fact, when we make the shopping list or cook, we do not always have in mind the vitamins, proteins and minerals that the body needs to be healthy. In reality, what we are looking for is to prepare preparations that are tasty and that we can enjoy both alone and with our loved ones.

For all the above, eating is, above all, a pleasure, and in those moments when anxiety and stress dominate our lives, food acts as a real escape valve. Therefore, it is not unusual for a person to turn to a specific food or meal that is pleasant to him in a difficult moment.

In the cinema, this is often represented by the typical image of a person having an ice cream or something with chocolate. However, in real life, the truth is that these are not the only products that people turn to.

In many cases, when people go through difficult times, the consumption of those unhealthy or unhealthy edibles (but which have great power to channel emotions) increases. These edibles would be the classic “snacking” products, soft drinks and alcohol. Of course, this does not mean that all cases are the same, but that there is a trend that in many cases is evident.

In this sense, just as there are those who do not lose sight of the need to maintain a healthy and balanced diet even in times of crisis, there are also those who cannot fully maintain discipline when they are going through difficult circumstances and find it easier turn to a certain type of edible to deal with their discomfort.

Food as an emotional escape: and you, what do you include on your shopping list?

Have you ever thought about the foods you turn to when you’re overwhelmed? Do you buy them on time or do you usually include them in your usual shopping list? Are there any that you tend to turn to especially, depending on what overwhelms you? What are the licenses that you grant yourself?

Licenses in food so as not to think about the disturbing

Eating so as not to think is a common behavior in people who are going through difficult times. It is also important to select certain foods that generate well-being to silence certain emotions. These types of behavioral schemes are what determine what goes to the shopping cart.

In difficult times, there are those who turn to sweet, salty, wine, beer or carbohydrates to make the situation more bearable. Then the mind comes to a strange agreement with the emotions: eat, enjoy and don’t worry . However, when food frequently acts as an emotional outlet, there is a problem.

On average, foods that offer serotonin and dopamine have a very short effect on the brain. There is a rise and a fall. They are not nutritious or satiating, but addictive, with which, we eat them in greater quantity and frequency, something that, in reality, does not bring us a real benefit.

Family recipes, another emotional escape

Emotions also eat up, especially when we suffer from anxiety. Now, another interesting behavior should be noted: the search for the familiar in the culinary field.

In difficult circumstances, many people decide to entertain themselves or rather, “kill” their time in the kitchen. The objective is to prepare those recipes that the mother, father or grandparents prepared for them as children. This becomes a way to rescue positive emotions and memories, and therefore, a way to make the present time more bearable.

Make bread (or any other product) and upload the photo to social networks

Another interesting behavior that people who are going through a difficult time can have is hyperactivity. There are people who do sports in the most curious and unusual ways, there are those who do crafts, who study and of course, who cook and later upload the final product to their social networks and get a like . Beyond what we can think, all these actions suppose an emotional escape.

Making recipes (of any kind, not just desserts) is an activity that not only entertains and to a certain extent relaxes, but can also help to obtain immediate satisfaction, for this reason, many people are encouraged to prepare a recipe in difficult moments.

Nowadays, pleasure is not only obtained in the process of preparing a dish or dessert but also when sharing the result on social networks. The like (‘I like’) that is received when uploading the photo on Instagram, gives the brain its dose of satisfaction and motivation.

Thus, it seems that we get reinforcements and rewards from all sides : personal, from those who share the home and also from those who are far away.

Eating, an emotional escape

Buying food, preparing it and consuming it acts as a great emotional escape during difficult times, but this does not mean that you have to get carried away and lose moderation. On the contrary, we can enjoy, but without falling into harmful behaviors for health, such as excessive consumption of carbonated and alcoholic beverages and also those edibles that only suppose a caloric load and do not contribute anything from the nutritional point of view.