Top 5 Foods Most People Who Stress Eat Consumes

A lot of people believe that eating is an emotional experience. We feel good after consuming our favorite meals, and oftentimes, some meals or certain foods bring back memories from home, or a certain period of time. Here are some common comfort foods that people stress eat.

1. Pizza. It's official: pizza is the number one comfort food of Americans, according to Huffington Post. A survey conducted by The Harris Poll on 2,252 adults has revealed that 67% of Americans admit to eating comfort food when feeling down and pizza ranks as the number one favorite comfort food of Americans.

2. Ice cream. There's a reason why best friends offer to come over and bring ice cream when one breaks up with his or her significant other. While a lot of people do look at ice cream as comfort food (it comes close next to pizza in the Harris Poll), it, in fact, does not. According to Livescience, research by Heather Scherschel Wagner, a doctorate candidate at the University of Minnesota revealed how "comfort food can't speed up the healing process," and that "whether it's your comfort food, or it’s a granola bar, or if you eat nothing at all, you will eventually feel better." It all comes down to personal preferences. If one prefers to eat ice cream after a bad breakup or bad experience, then they may be led to believe a cause-and-effect relationship between feeling better and their favorite food.

3. Chocolate. It's okay to stress eat chocolate, just not too much. In fact, Women's Health reports that researchers found that consuming dark chocolate can reduce levels of stress hormones. It also helps lower blood pressure as well as drugs.

4. Mashed Potatoes. Daily Mail reports that mashed potatoes have always been regarded as the U.K.'s favorite comfort food. The good thing about it is that it's low in fat and contains vitamins B and C, and folate for healthy red blood cells. It also contains Iron and protein.

5. Grilled Cheese. Grilled cheese sandwiches are easy and quick to make, and totally comforting. That's why Jamie Oliver, Martha Stewart and a number of other prominent celebrity chefs and homemakers have their own versions. This recipe from Jamie Oliver promises, "it will always make you feel good. It is also especially useful when you’re suffering from a light hangover."

"A toasted cheese sandwich is a beautiful thing, but I’m not messing about here – this is the ultimate one and it’s going to blow your mind," Oliver writes. "But there is a particular sequence of events that needs to happen in order to achieve the most ridiculously tasty, chomp-worthy sandwich."

Check out his recipe at jamieoliver.com.