Comfort food

Comfort food
Chicken soup is a common classic comfort food that might be found across cultures, and is widely regarded as a folk remedy for colds and flus.

Comfort food is food prepared traditionally that may have a nostalgic or sentimental appeal.[1] Comfort foods may be foods that have a nostalgic element either to an individual or a specific culture.[citation needed] Many comfort foods are flavorful and easily eaten, having soft consistencies.

One recent development, as chefs have explored the roots of American cuisine and tried to define it as a unique style, is the advent of fine dining comfort food restaurants that feature more careful cooking and presentation, higher quality and fresh organic ingredients, along with consequently higher prices.[2]

Contents

American comfort foods

Macaroni and cheese is an American comfort food[3]
Fried chicken is another American comfort food.[3]

In a reader's opinion poll by About.com, the following are the top 25 foods stated as comfort foods by respondents:[3]

Australian comfort foods

While some of these comfort foods have different names regionally, they tend to be available in all states. This list also demonstrates the ethnic influences on Australian cuisine.

Chinese comfort foods

Lanzhou lamian.

In Chinese culture the comfort foods might differ between each households. Nevertheless the common theme is usually invoked nostalgic sentiments of home and family. Chinese comfort foods usually served warm, have soft texture and it might be soupy. Some of common Chinese comfort foods are:

Filipino comfort foods

Chicken adobo, an iconic Filipino meal.

In Filipino cultures, comforts are those that are common in Filipino society. Comfort foods, especially home-cooked meals, usually invoke a sense of feeling of being in the comforts of home. It makes feels of the life in the hometown (for Filipino immigrants). Some common Filipino comfort foods include:

French comfort foods

German comfort foods

Indonesian comfort foods

Bubur ayam (chicken congee) one of the most popular comfort foods in Indonesia

Some of popular Indonesian food are considered as comfort food, usually served hot or warm, soupy and have soft texture. Some Indonesian comfort food are traditional Indonesian food and some are derived from Chinese influences. For some Indonesians, especially those whom are abroad, comfort food might also be a certain brand or type of Indonesian instant noodle, such as Indomie Mi goreng.[4] Indonesian comfort foods include:

Japanese comfort foods

Miso soup and onigiri

Korean comfort foods

Malaysian comfort foods

Romanian comfort foods

Thai comfort foods

Psychological studies

Comfort foods may be consumed to positively pique emotions, to relieve negative psychological affects or to increase positive feelings.[7] The term was first used, according to Webster's Dictionary, in 1977.

One study divided college-students' comfort-food identifications into four categories (nostalgic foods, indulgence foods, convenience foods, and physical comfort foods) with a special emphasis on the deliberate selection of particular foods to modify mood or affect, and indications that the medical-therapeutic use of particular foods may ultimately be a matter of mood-alteration.[8]

The identification of particular items as comfort food may be idiosyncratic, though patterns are detectable. In one study of American preferences, "males preferred warm, hearty, meal-related comfort foods (such as steak, casseroles, and soup), while females instead preferred comfort foods that were more snack related (such as chocolate and ice cream). In addition, younger people preferred more snack-related comfort foods compared to those over 55 years of age." The study also revealed strong connections between consumption of comfort foods and feelings of guilt.[9]

Comfort food consumption has been seen as a response to emotional stress, and consequently, as a key contributor to the epidemic of obesity in the United States.[10] The provocation of specific hormonal responses leading selectively to increases in abdominal fat is seen as a form of self-medication.[11]

Further studies suggest that consumption of comfort food is triggered in men by positive emotions, and by negative ones in women.[12] The stress effect is particularly pronounced among college-aged women, with only 33% reporting healthy eating choices during times of emotional stress.[13] For women specifically, these psychological patterns may be maladaptive.[14]

A therapeutic use of these findings includes offering comfort foods or "happy hour" beverages to anorectic geriatric patients whose health and quality of life otherwise decreases with reduced oral intake.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Comfort Food." (definition). Merriam-webster.com. Accessed July 2011.
  2. ^ "Comfort Food Goes Upscale: Top Chefs Injecting Luxury To Old-Fashioned Favorites". CBS News. 2005-08-28. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/28/sunday/main798778.shtml. 
  3. ^ a b c "Top 25 Comfort Foods and Recipes." Homecooking.about.com. Accessed July 2011.
  4. ^ Indomie - Mi Goreng
  5. ^ Indonesia eats
  6. ^ Comfort Food Helps Indonesian Maid Recover
  7. ^ Wansink, Brian and Cynthia Sangerman (2000). "Engineering Comfort" (PDF). http://foodpsychology.cornell.edu/pdf/engineeringcomfortfoods.pdf. Retrieved 2010-09-23. 
  8. ^ Lochera, Julie L. et al Comfort Foods: An Exploratory Journey Into The Social and Emotional Significance of Food. Food and Foodways, Volume 13, Issue 4 October 2005 , pages 273–297
  9. ^ Wansink, Brian, et al Exploring comfort food preferences across age and gender. Physiology & Behavior
  10. ^ Dallman, Mary F. et al.. "Chronic stress and obesity: A new view of "comfort food"". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. http://www.pnas.org/content/100/20/11696.abstract. Retrieved 2010-09-23. 
  11. ^ Dallman, Mary F. et al Chronic stress and comfort foods: self-medication and abdominal obesity Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
  12. ^ Dubé, Laurette, et al Affect asymmetry and comfort food consumption Physiology & Behavior
  13. ^ KANDIAH Jayanthi, et al. "Stress influences appetite and comfort food preferences in college women". Nutrition Research 2006 (Cat.inist.fr) 26 (no3): 118–123. http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=17879071. Retrieved 2010-09-23. 
  14. ^ LeBel, Jordan L. et al Weakened biological signals: Highly-developed eating schemas amongst women are associated with maladaptive patterns of comfort food consumption. Physiology & Behavior
  15. ^ Wood, Paulette (July 1998). "Feeding the anorectic client: Comfort foods and happy hour". Geriatric Nursing (Gnjournal.com) 19 (4): 192–194. http://www.gnjournal.com/article/S0197-4572(98)90153-7/abstract. Retrieved 2010-09-23. 

Further reading

  • Ray, Rachael. Comfort foods. ISBN 1-891105-05-1. 
  • Meyers-Lussier, Robert. This Is Delicious! What Is It?: An Eclectic Collection of International Comfort Foods. ISBN 0-595-30505-9. 

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • comfort food — n. Informal any food eaten not only for its pleasing taste but also for a sense of contentment, nostalgia, etc. that it provides …   English World dictionary

  • comfort food — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms comfort food : singular comfort food plural comfort foods food that you enjoy very much and often eat when you are feeling sad …   English dictionary

  • comfort food — noun food that is simply prepared and gives a sense of wellbeing; typically food with a high sugar or carbohydrate content that is associated with childhood or with home cooking • Hypernyms: ↑food, ↑nutrient * * * noun, pl ⋯ foods : food that is… …   Useful english dictionary

  • comfort food — noun a) Certain foods that people associate with their formative years, or with “home”; frequently simple home cooked style food, and often the staple of diners and other informal restaurants. After the relationship ended she would make herself… …   Wiktionary

  • comfort food — N UNCOUNT If you call something comfort food, you mean it is enjoyable to eat and makes you feel happier, although it may not be very good for your health. For me, spaghetti bolognese is the ultimate comfort food …   English dictionary

  • Comfort food — Aliment réconfort Les aliments réconfort sont souvent gras et/ou sucrés. Un aliment réconfort aussi appelé aliment réconfortant ou aliment doudou[1] (comfort food, en anglais) est un aliment familier qui suscite un sentiment de réconfort et d …   Wikipédia en Français

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