The nation's top 20 emotional support meals have been revealed

We all have our home comforts and no doubt this also includes having an emotional support meal that we rely on - in fact, as many as 70 per cent of Britons have a go-to, emotional support meal.

But which is the top emotional support meal among Brits?

A survey of 2,000 Britons commissioned by glucose monitoring app Abbott’s Lingo has found that the classic bacon sandwich topped the list at 38 per cent, closely followed by fish and chips, fresh from the chip shop (30 per cent) and in third place, a piping hot pizza (27 per cent).

Among some of the other foods mentioned by Brits include cheeseburgers (24 per cent), cheese on toast (22 per cent) and full English breakfasts (22 per cent) as foods which offer them a hug, when feeling down.

In addition, other dishes that appear in the top 20 include roast chicken and all the trimmings (17 per cent), steak and chips (17 per cent) and lasagne (17 per cent).

Meanwhile, as many as 94 per cent of us agree that food is one of life’s greatest pleasures, according to the poll by Lingo by Abbott,

Yet 42 per cent only experience a short boost in mood when eating foods that are high in carbohydrates, such as the ones on the list.

However, this statistic isn't a surprise for GP, Dr Punam Krishan, who works with Lingo by Abbott: “A bacon sandwich and fish and chips are go-to comfort food for many, but they aren’t the best for boosting our moods.

"While they provide a short-term feel-good effect through a glucose spike, the resulting crash that follows is likely to make us crave more unhealthy foods."

Dr. Krishan shared some alternative food recommendations for a healthier, balanced lifestyle.

“Instead, protein-rich meals, with a healthy balance of healthy fats (think avocado) and packed with non-starchy veggies like leafy greens are best to keep our glucose levels steady and therefore stop the crashes that we experience after a carb-heavy meal. Steady glucose levels go well beyond giving you a better understanding of your hunger signals. While these effects may be felt soon after managing your glucose, the long-term benefits of glucose management are wide reaching, ranging from maintaining a healthy weight.”

Food is often on the minds Brits, as they start to think about what they are going to eat that evening before their lunch, spending as many as two hours talking about, planning and cooking their dinner.

And it's the capital, London where food is talked about the most– an average of three hours a day – while people in Cambridge talk about it the least, spending just 1.5 hours discussing what to eat.

A classic British stereotype is talking about the weather, but it appear to have been overtaken by the topic of food since one in three (29 per cent) admit they talk about it more than what is happening outside and for 16 percent, food is their favourite topic of conversation.

Top 20 emotional support meals, according to Britons:

1. A bacon sandwich – 38 per cent
2. Fish and chips from the chip shop – 30 per cent
3. Hot pizza – 28 per cent
4. A cheese burger – 24 per cent
5. Cheese on toast – 22 per cent
6. A full English breakfast – 22 per cent
7. Spaghetti bolognese – 18 per cent
8. A baked potato with butter – 18 per cent
9. Sausages and mash – 18 per cent
10. Beans on toast – 18 per cent
11. Roast chicken and all the trimmings – 17 per cent
12. Steak and chips – 17 per cent
13. Lasagne – 17 per cent
14. Mac and cheese – 13 per cent
15. Chicken Tikka Masala – 13 per cent
16. Shepherd’s Pie – 13 per cent
17. Beef stew and dumplings – 12 per cent
18. Pie and chips – 12 per cent
19. A fish finger sandwich – 12 per cent
20. Toad in the hole – 10 per cent

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