Feeling lonely? Have a bacon sandwich and ice-cream

Published on 22/03/2011 16:29

COMFORT foods, such as sausages and mash, bacon sandwiches and ice-cream, really are good for you, scientists now believe.

Although stodgy foods may be bad for the waistline, they can boost your heart and emotions.

New research suggests certain types of food that remind people of their childhood actually fight loneliness, because they make people feel like they belong.

Psychologists at the University of Buffalo wanted to find out if food could have a similar effect on people to watching their favourite TV show, or looking at photos of friends and family.

Writing in the journal Psychological Science, co-author Jordan Troisi said: "Everyone experiences stress, often associated with their connections to others. It seems comfort food is a sort of ready-made easy resource for remedying a sense of loneliness."