Comfort food is the yum that makes us feel good — but it’s not ‘just because’. Comfort food is not really about being hungry, it’s about memory, mood and go-to moments. From a behavioural perspective, he said, comfort eating is not simply about fat or carbohydrates. While comfort food can offer short-term emotional relief, researchers suggest it does not always deliver lasting comfort. When used repeatedly as a coping strategy, comfort eating can become habitual without addressing the underlying emotional need.