A college student studying abroad heard a pretty strange rumor about Americans, and, well, it’s not wrong exactly
Admit it. Every now and then, we all indulge in the movie cliché of eating our feelings. Especially when it comes to bad breakups. From French fries to popcorn to fun-sized Milky Ways, we know what satisfies our deepest, darkest demons. But add a heaping scoop (or 2, 3, 4…) of ice cream to the mix, and you got a delicious recipe for I-want-to-feel-cold-nothing-else a la mode. That’s why when a college student studying abroad heard a pretty strange rumor about Americans and ice cream, well, they didn’t exactly get it wrong.
Grab a pint of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream, friends, and settle in.
This French foreign exchange student is calling you…okay, us out.
my sister's foreign exchange student: "in France we hear that when Americans are depressed they eat whole containers of ice cream"
— Meg Hricovec (@meghricovec) October 18, 2017
Damn, France. Too real. Truth be told, Americans don’t even need to feel depressed to find themselves at the bottom of their favorite pint of Dreyer’s. In fact, the United States ranks number two as the largest consumer of ice cream globally. Make room for more: The average American eats 48 pints of ice cream every year, and 87% percent of Americans have ice cream in their freezer at any given time. Good thing the U.S. also produces the most ice cream in the world or else, as a country, we may have a emotional breakdown.
@AshleyRedfern96 I eat whole containers of ice cream when I’m not depressed
— Amanda Myers (@amanda_myers7) October 19, 2017
And top this: In the U.S., ice cream enjoys a month-long celebration. Or rather, Americans enjoy a month-long (guilt-free!) celebration of ice cream. Mark your calendars. July is National Ice Cream Month!
I blame movies. Specifically RomComs.
— Spence
(@_moonlightdoll_) October 20, 2017
But there may be a scientific reason we find emotional relief in our ice cream go-to. In a study conducted by the University of Wurzburg in Germany, researchers asked participants who reported feeling sad and anxious to watch movies with a mix of weepy and happy storylines. Afterwards, participants downed creamy beverages with varying levels of fat content. The findings? We indulge our ice cream cravings when we’re sad because our emotions heighten our ability to taste sugar, but weaken our fat-tasting skills. Food for thought.
I blame the ice cream. Why’s it gotta be so delicious?
— Anti-Yankees Dizzle (@dfrezzz) October 20, 2017
Okay, so this rumor might be true. But it’s so delicious, who cares?
