Food and Health – Pasta’s Texture Creates Happiness
Our love for pasta has deep roots, both sensory and nutritional. Its naturally sweet flavor and its texture—shifting from elastic to creamy as we chew—satisfy our innate preferences for sweet tastes and soft textures. These characteristics activate pleasure responses in our brain, encouraging regular pasta consumption. Moreover, pairing it with different sauces can help people accept more complex flavors, such as the bitterness of vegetables, making pasta an ideal vehicle for a balanced diet.
Unexpected Benefits – Even Better Than Listening to Your Favorite Song
Food and health go hand in hand, because beyond its sensory appeal, pasta also contributes to our psychological well-being. A study conducted by the “Behavior & Brain Lab” of the IULM University of Languages and Communication found that eating pasta generates positive emotions comparable to—if not greater than—those experienced when listening to our favorite song or watching an exciting sports event. This is due to the activation of memories and positive emotions tied to moments of happiness and social bonding.
Pasta and Serotonin – A Winning Pair for a Good Mood
From a nutritional point of view, pasta is a source of complex carbohydrates that provide energy to the brain and promote the release of serotonin, the neurotransmitter associated with happiness. This explains why eating pasta is often linked to feelings of joy and satisfaction. Pasta is also considered a classic “comfort food,” capable of evoking happy memories related to childhood and family, reinforcing the emotional bond we share with this beloved dish.
