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Our daily diet has a significant influence on the emotional state
When it comes to the question of what makes us people really happy, some people call delicious food. But does the diet actually have an effect on our well-being? German scientists have now investigated this question and found that certain drinks can contribute to a mood improvement.
What makes us happy
Although every person wants to be happy and satisfied, what is the key to our well-being differs in the individual individuals. In addition to a good partnership, pleasant friends or a filling job, good food is often cited when it comes to improving our well-being. However, German researchers have now discovered that the influence of food here does not play a significant role - but the drinks already.
Eating makes you happy and helps reduce stress. This assumption is widespread. But how do dietary habits really affect our well-being? (Image: JenkoAtaman / fotolia.com) Influence of nutrition on our well-being
British scientists released a study last year that concluded that eating fruits and vegetables increases their satisfaction and well-being.
Chocolate should also make you happy and help reduce stress.
But how does what we eat and drink every day really affect our well-being? Psychologists from the universities of Gießen and Marburg have investigated this question in a recent study.
They found that eating habits generally did not contribute significantly to well-being. But the intake of drinks such as juice, coffee and alcohol led to a mood improvement.
Handle unhealthy snacks in stressful situations
Although the assumption that food makes people happy and helps relieve stress is widespread, there are also studies that show that people tend to eat (mostly unhealthy) snacks in stressful situations or in a negative mood, as the self-control of eating decreases.
And Jana Strahler, clinical psychologist at the Justus Liebig University Giessen, stated in a statement to the current study: "The assumption, that food generally improves the well-being, can not be confirmed on the basis of our data."
"Rather, drinks such as juice, coffee and alcohol led to a better mood in the short term. The relationship between eating and wellbeing, on the other hand, depended on whether someone was prone to eating more under stress or more of a restrained eater. "
Together with Urs Nater from the Philipps-Universität Marburg, Strahler examined the connection between nutritional behavior, well-being and stress for the first time under everyday conditions.
The results of the study were published in the journal Biological Psychology.
Emotional and restrained eaters
In the study, a total of 77 adults over four days of the week were asked about their eating and drinking habits as well as their well-being.
The subjects reported five times a day what they had eaten and drunk since the last time, and if they were still hungry. A distinction was made between the type of meal (main course, snack, candy, other) and the main component of the meal (proteins, carbohydrates, fat, mixed).
They also stated at each point in time how good their mood was, how much energy they had and how stressed they felt. In addition, they had to deliver a saliva sample at each time of measurement, which was examined for the stress hormone cortisol and the enzyme alpha-amylase.
At the beginning of the study, it was also determined for each person whether their eating behavior could be described as "emotional" or rather as "restrained".
No indication of stress-reducing effect of sweets
The relationship between food intake and well-being was analyzed at each subsequent measurement. "We did not find a general stress-reducing effect of sweet and high calorie foods," says Strahler.
However, there was a difference between emotional and restrained eater types: restrained eaters reported a higher level of stress after consuming sweets, while emotional eats reduced the sense of stress.
"This is in line with findings from the research on eating disorders, which shows that women with anorexia or bulimia report more negative mood after experiencing a binge eating attack," explained the expert.
"Restrained eaters may experience the consumption of high calorie foods as a failure. However, with emotional eaters, the desired hedonic, rewarding, effect of food appears to be occurring. "
Mood improvement by drinks
Also in this study it was shown that the intake of high-fat food led to a worsening of the general well-being.
The intake of drinks such as water, juice, coffee and alcohol, however, rather led to a mood improvement. Caffeinated drinks also resulted in a feeling of more energy.
Alcoholic beverages led to an improvement of all measured aspects of subjective well-being. "However, it should be remembered that alcohol is often drunk in social situations that can also help make you feel better," said Jana Strahler. (Ad)