Why do we Eat?

Why do we eat? What kind of question is that really?! Why does anyone eat aside from the obvious reasons? Obviously, we eat to survive but is this the only reason? 


Do we eat to relieve boredom or to provide social companionship? Do we eat as part of a ritual, a religious custom, to celebrate, or to even to provide comfort? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding YES! There are so many factors that go into food choices! In addition to the physical components like taste, aroma, and satiety coexist emotional, social, cultural, and psychological constituents that drive choices. Let us look at these together.

1. Physical

The top reason for choosing foods is simple. Taste. Our bodies are designed to crave foods because they are needed for survival. Because the body needs certain things like protein, fat, and carbohydrates to survive, our bodies are designed with an innate desire for foods that satisfy these requirements. We have a genetic predisposition for sweet, salty, high fat foods which can lead to overindulgence if not watched closely (Sizer & Whitney, 2013).

2. Psychological

There are many psychological factors that come into play when making food choices. Do you choose a particular food because its healthy, because it tastes good, because its 'easy' or low in fat? Many decisions to eat or not eat certain foods are based on these examples.

3. Cultural/Religious

Likewise, there are many cultural and religious factors that can go into food choices. In America, foods like pizza, hot dogs, and hamburgers are considered a part of our food culture. Eating these types of foods brings back fond memories and is enjoyable. Unfortunately, many of the foods that are closely tied to American culture are not the healthiest of choices and this can be seen with observance of current statistics. 70%, or 7 out of 10 Americans are overweight or obese. Do we have our culture to thank for this trend? Can adoption of a Mediterranean diet lower disease instance in America?

Food is used in times of celebration, in times of mourning, and accompanies various rites of passage. Food is deeply ingrained into cultural norms.


Lastly, there are religious components that drive food choices. For example, Jews do not eat pork or shellfish. Certain cultures view the cow as sacred and will not eat beef as a result.

4. Emotional 

Many people eat foods to provide comfort. This is not a healthy behavior and can lead to many negative health implications. Eating foods in an attempt to bring forth comfort or relief from depression, anxiety, or boredom leads to overeating and can result in disease. It is important to avoid situations in which there is temptation to eat food because of emotional duress. 

For more information regarding the biology of food choices, please visit this link which contains some very interesting information.

http://www.eufic.org/article/en/artid/biology-of-food-choice/

Also, please share what factors come into play in your own life when deciding what food to eat or not to eat. Do yo eat when you are bored, happy, sad, mad, tired, lonely, or just hungry?