Brownies, Coffee, and Cake- Oh My!

The aroma entices me. It fills my nostrils and conjures up pleasant memories causing a sense of calmness to rush over me. I can’t fight it any longer, so I grab a pale blue mug and watch the last drop of freshly brewed Maxwell House coffee drip into the pot. I pour myself a cup, and as I circle my hands around the warm mug, begin to think of an accomplice.

Chocolate cake? Biscotti? Ooo…Chocolate chip cookies? Brownies? Cereal? Maybe a Reese’s Cup? Ice cream? What about those barbeque chips we have in the cupboard...  

I need something to accompany this delicious cup of coffee. But wait, I just ate an hour ago- I’m not hungry. Why do I want something to eat? My stomach isn’t growling. I don’t feel weak and I don't think I’m going to pass out…

In this case, my “hunger” is not really hunger. Hunger is the physiological need for food in order for the body to function properly. The real reason I want some form of food to accompany my coffee is because of my appetite. Appetite is the desire for food and is the psychological aspect of eating. It is the emotional cues you experience when you see, smell, and even think about food. So while my body does not need food, my desire for it encourages me to eat. For example, I know how delicious brownies taste, especially when chocolate chips have been added to them. The thought of pairing the sweetness of a brownie with the bitterness of coffee evokes a positive and satisfying emotional memory in my mind, thus increasing my desire for food. Now if I had a slice of peanut butter pie and coffee…

A knock interrupts my thoughts as my roommate opens the door to a few girls with a large cardboard box in their hands. They explain that they are selling baked goods for a service learning trip. Now I am really in a dilemma. I do not physically need food, but I have a desire for food. Do I say no thank you, knowing that I am physically satisfied, or do I buy something in order to gratify my psychological desire for food?

Twenty minutes later, I wipe the remaining peanut butter cookie crumbs off my desk and continue on with my homework, knowing that I not only supported a service learning trip, but also satisfied my appetite!