Is Ice Cream an Anti-Depressant?

Why do people always eat ice cream when they're depressed? A new study shows that while ice cream may not be an anti-depressant, the brain chemical that motivates you to eat it may be.

Some patients with depression will eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream at night before they go to bed. They feel comforted -- at least briefly -- by the high-calorie treat. Of course, it doesn't take too many nights of this before the pounds start piling up.

New research published in the journal Nature Neuroscience this month may shed some light on the biological relationship between depression and appetite. While it does not show that Ben and Jerry's is an antidepressant, it does suggest that a brain chemical, that motivates the consumption of the ice cream, may be. Read more