"Every bite takes you home”
This quote reminds me of food that brings back good old memories. Simply put, that’s what it is called ‘food nostalgia’.
Well, you know what food is, but what exactly is nostalgia?
The word ‘nostalgia’ originates from the Greek words ‘nostos’ (homecoming) and ‘algos’ (ache). Initially, it described the homesickness caused by geographical distance and was considered a medical condition. This concept has been a part of human history for a long time and has evolved over time through scientific understanding.
Today, nostalgia is no longer considered a medical disease but is commonly regarded as a yearning for the past.
When you eat something, and it brings back specific memories from your past, whether they are happy or hold significant meaning that gives you a warm feeling, you are experiencing food nostalgia. Food nostalgia refers to the strong emotions evoked in response to certain foods or their aromas.
Researchers say that the childhood memories triggered by our sense of smell typically originate from our first ten years of life.
For me, it’s that small chewing gum sold in corner shops. Right after school, I would rush to the nearest shop and buy these chewing gums, chewing them all the way home.
Similarly, for my younger sister, it’s roti cut into small pieces and sausage-stuffed sandwiches. She recalls the memories of her school days when our mother used to pack these items in her lunchbox.
Likewise, a few more friends shared their food nostalgias:
“Cotton candy reminds me of eating with my mom and sister during our visits to the zoo”
“When I eat umbalakada sambola these days, I vividly recollect the days of my childhood when I was given cod-liver oil capsules”
“Baby Rusks – I don’t recall eating them when I was a baby, but when I have them these days, I somehow feel like I’ve tasted them before”
It is interesting how the food we consume and how it makes us feel form a strong bond with our memory. In fact, neuroanthropologist, John Allen suggests that we eat with our minds as much as we eat with our stomachs.
Have you ever thought about why we still love to eat Samaposha regardless of our ages?
But how does food nostalgia occur?
It’s the Proust Phenomenon.
The best example to understand the Proust Phenomenon in relation to food is the scene in the movie ‘Ratatouille’ where Anton Ego, the food critic, is transported back to his childhood memories of eating his mother’s food when he tastes Remy, the rat’s ratatouille dish.
Brain scans have shown that olfactory memory cues, associated with smell, activate the hippocampus and the amygdala, areas of the brain linked with memory and emotional reactions. With these areas of the brain working together, a smell can bring back distant memories, a phenomenon known as the Proust Phenomenon. That’s how food can act as a pathway to your past, creating food nostalgia.
In fact, the concept of food nostalgia is often used in advertisements to establish a connection with the audience.
Psychology studies have revealed that our food memories can create aversions as well to specific foods due to negative associations, such as food poisoning or illness, and these aversions can fluctuate, a phenomenon known as ‘spontaneous recovery’.
“Your food memories influence your psychological and physical well-being. And if these memories are painful, it is never too late to rework them into a story with a happier ending”
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