The ability of highly processed food intake to alter emotional states is consistent with evidence that intake of highly processed foods engages reward and pleasure systems in a manner akin to addictive substances.

Highly Processed Food Addiction Symptom

Comfort eating is eating as a way to soothe negative emotions. Research showed that eating sweet high-fat food can blunt the activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), a neuroendocrine system that in humans has been shown to regulate psychological processes, including negative emotions.

Comfort Eating(Emotional Eating)

Highly processed food intake was not associated with negative emotions (afraid and distressed) immediately after eating. However, some highly processed food intake (sweet high-fat foods, non-alcoholic sugary drinks) predicted lower negative emotions one hour later.

Pepperdine University

Highly processed food intake results in alterations in positive and negative emotions immediately and up to 1 h after intake; however, these do not persist through 3 h after intake. The ability of highly processed foods to alter emotions may be critical to their reinforcing nature.

Emotional Experiences following Highly Processed Food Intake

Cummings, J. R., Schiestl, E. T., Tomiyama, A. J., Mamtora, T., & Gearhardt, A. N. (2022). Highly processed food intake and immediate and future emotions in everyday life. Appetite, 169, 105868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105868

Highly processed food intake and immediate and future emotions in everyday life

Highly processed food intake predicted greater positive emotions (enthusiastic and happy) immediately after eating and one hour later. However, there were no significant associations between highly processed food intake and positive emotions three hours later.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After