Ask almost anyone what their favorite food is, and there’s a decent chance that they’ll tell you it’s pizza. Pizza is an undeniably delicious and universally beloved food, but have you ever stopped to consider what exactly it is about pizza that we love so much?
Think about it – even the most mediocre gas station pizza still tends to be pretty good in a way that doesn’t translate to any other food. Cold french fries become soggy and bland, but cold pizza is just as satisfying as its fresh-out-of-the-oven counterpart.
There are several reasons why we find pizza so appetizing. The use of ingredients including tomato sauce and cheese creates a unique combination of salt, fat, and acid that our taste buds have evolved over thousands of years to seek more of. Together, they make for an explosion of flavor that’s incredibly hard to resist.
Pizza also stimulates the reward centers in our brains. Cheese contains an amino acid called casein which releases endorphins that make us feel happy and satisfied, while the crust is high in carbohydrates that our bodies break down into glucose for energy. Put them together with a sweet, savory, aromatic sauce, and you’ve got a recipe for success.
