What is it about comfort food that makes us feel better?

Everyone knows that a little comfort food can lift your mood a little. 

Well, according to psychologist Traci Mann, “Everyone” may be wrong. Her new study finds that so-called comfort foods are no more effective at lifting moods than any other food – and we might be giving them credit they don’t deserve. 

The researchers had groups of participants watch a depressing video and then rate their moods. One group enjoyed chocolate, ice cream and cookies, another group had neutral foods like a granola bar, and the third group just had to sit there in silence for three minutes. All three groups reported roughly the same mood improvement after their sessions. While comfort food in a lab setting failed the test, the researchers plan to conduct another study under real-life social circumstances.