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From the saying ‘we are what we eat’ comes a similar one: ‘we feel what we eat’, as an emotional connection between food and mood was explored by the university’s Behaviour & Brain Lab department together with Unione Italiana Food.
The study delved into the mood and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the joy elicited by the act of eating pasta through brain-tracking methods of reactions of 40 subjects aged between 25 and 55.
The results of the research showed that pasta triggers a powerful and long-lasting positive emotional-cognitive state, superior to the joy induced by favourite activities such as listening to music or watching sports.
Analysing consumption habits, the study found that individuals associate pasta consumption with happiness shared with family and friends. A euphoric state legitimised by scientific data: approximately 40% of participants considered pasta to be a comfort food, associating it directly with the emotion of happiness.
Indeed, the carbohydrates in pasta stimulate endorphins, ensuring a sufficient intake of tryptophan to regulate mood and providing essential B vitamins for muscle relaxation and serotonin production. Pasta and happiness are inseparable,’ says Professor Vincenzo Russo, founder of the Neuromarketing Behavior & Brain Lab IULM.
