People under stress tend to crave high-fat and high-sugar foods. Australian researchers have recently discovered that this approach may indeed help alleviate stress, because the chemical effects of "junk food" on the brain are similar to those of antidepressants.
Researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia used two groups of mice as subjects. First, they were isolated from their "mothers" for an extended period, causing psychological anxiety and distress. One group of mice was fed "junk food," while the other group was given healthier food. Both groups of mice then navigated a maze for a stress test. The results showed that the state of the mice that ate "junk food" was similar to their state after taking antidepressants.
The head of the study, Margaret Morris, said: "The mice that ate palatable food, or 'junk food,' appeared significantly less anxious." She believes that "junk food" helped the mice replenish stress hormone receptors in the brain, thereby changing their state.
Morris also stated that it is too early to draw a definitive conclusion about the stress-relieving effects of high-calorie foods, as other factors such as exercise or social activities triggered by food must also be considered.