The term "comfort food" was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 1972. Comfort food is typically inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to prepare. Many people turn to comfort food for familiarity, emotional security, or as a special reward. The reasons a dish becomes comfort food are diverse but often include pleasant associations from childhood.

Men and women have different preferences in comfort foods.

When it comes to foods that bring psychological comfort, men like hearty meals, while women look for snacks that require little or no preparation, though they may cause pangs of guilt.

"Comfort foods are foods whose consumption evoke a psychologically pleasurable state for a person," reported Brian Wansink, an Illinois marketing professor. Drawing from national survey questionnaires, his lab has concluded that a person’s comfort-food preferences are formed at an early age and are triggered by conditioned associations and gender differences.

Men tend to find comfort in foods associated with meals prepared by their mothers (mashed potatoes, pasta, meat, and soup) rather than from snacks and sweets (except ice cream).

Because adult females are not generally accustomed to having hot food prepared for them and as children saw the female as the primary food preparer, they tend to gain psychological comfort from less labor-intensive foods such as chocolate, candy and ice cream," Wansink said. Indeed, one study found that 92 percent of self-reported "chocolate addicts" were female.

Food cravings can be chemical or psychological

While some food cravings are associated to chemical changes in our bodies, the psychological underpinnings of people’s food preferences have also been a continuing source of study.

While the human craving for salty and sweet foods is well-documented, nearly 40 percent of "comfort-giving foods" do not fall into the traditional categories of snacks or desserts. Instead, they can be classified as relatively natural, home-made, even "healthy" main courses, and include soups, vegetables, pasta, pizza and steak.

We have speicalized taste buds on different parts of our tongue that taste different flavors. Also, the intensity with which we taste different flavors varies from one person to another, which explains why different people have different ideas of what tastes good. As we age, our taste buds become less effective. The areas that taste sweets are usually the last to fade.

We don't eat comfort foods just when we are depressed.

Many people assume comfort foods are eaten when a person is sad or lonely. "The opposite is often true," Wansink said. "People are more apt to seek out comfort foods when they’re jubilant or when they want to celebrate or reward themselves."

But the kinds of foods that give comfort may vary with one’s mood, according to the Illinois professor. A person may crave pizza when happy, reach for cookies when sad, and open up a bag of potato chips when bored.

Some foods stir vivid reactions when tasted or smelled and come to be associated with personal identity.

Some foods help you to reduce stress.

Proteins are essential in our diet and provide a source of energy. This food supply will strengthen our muscles and bones and keeps us physical healthy. Zinc will speed the metabolic process of proteins. This will prevent proteins from converting into fat. Copper may benefit your heart.

Foods high in protein are likely to help us combat the effects of stress upon our bodies. Such foods include meat, fresh fish and dairy products. This is because proteins give us energy and strengthen our body's defences against all forms of external influences. Carbohydrates found in fresh fruit and vegetables or whole grain bread and pasta have a similar effect.

Natural potassium assists in regulating the blood pressure within our bodies which naturally increases when we are feeling stressed. Potassium can be obtained for this purpose from broccoli and bananas, potatoes, avocadoes and fresh fish.

Iron's principal function in our bodies is to stimulate the flow of oxygen in our bloodstream. In this way, it can increase the flow of oxygen to the brain and battle the debilitating effects of stress upon that organ. Foods that are rich in iron are lean red meats (especially liver,) eggs and wholegrain cereals.

Some foods can make stress worse.

Increased levels of adrenaline, the fight or flight' hormone, raises the blood pressure.
When these levels stay high for prolonged periods, the last thing you need is anything to increase adrenaline. In particular refined carbohydrates (sugar) and caffeine increases the production of adrenaline. Coffee, tea, chocolate, and colas are the major sources of caffiene, and have the effect of leaving you tired, lethargic, subject to poor concentration and with headaches and digestive problems after the caffiene wears off.

Adrenaline also cuts down the supply of blood to the stomach and releases essential fatty acids and glucose to fuel the muscles. This means your body quickly uses up more vitamins such as B-complex (marketed as the stress reducing vitamin), vitamin C and E. You also use up more calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc when stress increases your adrenaline level.

Alcohol and smoking, which you may be tempted to turn to in times of stress, actually destroy essential nutrients. Although it seems to have a calming effect at first, alcohol is actually a stimulant. Smokers use up to five times more vitamin C than non-smokers, and vitamin C is associated with reducing stress levels.