Pasta Fans Celebrate! Science Says It Increases Happiness
Italian food is my favorite type of food. I am a lover of all pasta and almost all Italian dishes. In my 20’s, I was dating a guy from Italy, and spent two weeks there. His family was living close to Venice, so I got to sightsee there and they also had a place in Parma, Italy. To date, it’s one of the most magical vacations I’ve ever been on! If pasta is one of your favorite foods to eat, there’s some great news!
According to FoodBeast, a recent study by ‘Behavioral & Brain Lab’ at Italy’s Free University of Languages and Communication IULM, in collaboration with Unione Italiana Food, has uncovered some interesting things about how humans respond to eating pasta. The study is looking at how folks emotionally react to the food, and how their brains also react.
Examining emotional reactions, the researchers used similar methods to those used in lie detectors. They tracked brain activity in 40 people, ages 25-55. The results were revealing! Eating pasta activates a strong and sustained emotional-cognitive state, very similar to when you’re listening to music or watching sports. Some of the results even surpassed those types of feelings.
Breaking Down The Findings Of The Study
The basic result from the studies done in Italy are that pasta makes people happy! Professor Vincenzo Russo, who’s the founder of the lab in Italy, says that pasta and happiness are inseparable. Just tasting it gives us emotions. Researchers also found that most people associate eating pasta with spending time with family and friends, so it also makes us think of good memories when we eat it. I totally get that! I mean, it’s hard to make a small amount of pasta, and it’s always a great food idea when feeding lots of people.
Those that participated in the study consider pasta a comfort food. I consider it one for sure! And since many of us think of pasta as comforting, it increases our happiness. And it’s science!
It’s been proven that complex carbs can help stimulate endorphins. Long story short, that produces more serotonin, which makes us happy and relaxes us. Totally makes sense! One of the most amazing meals, especially when it’s chilly outside, is a hearty lasagna. I’ll make a homemade one at least once a year and I love it! And it does bring me happy memories! Eating homemade lasagna was something we did often when I was growing up.
Whether you like gnocchi, spaghetti, lasagna, or other pastas, enjoy! We can all use some extra happiness in our lives!
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