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Can eating nostalgically be good for your health?

Posted 1 year ago

“You’re telling me reminiscing about college over a bowl of instant ramen might be the healthy lifestyle I’ve been looking for? Dreams really do come true.”

Nostalgia is never out of style, but between our fondness for ‘90s culture and the explosion of grandma content on TikTok, it’s having a serious moment right now. And while you already know that indulging in nostalgia feels good, you might not know that it’s also good for you – and that eating nostalgically might just be the most effective way to capture those health benefits.

That’s especially true if your warm memories come in the form of throwback food that’s been reimagined as a more nutritious, equally delicious take on the dish that first won your heart. Read on to learn exactly how reinvented classics like immi instant ramen can double up on the already considerable power of nostalgic noshing.

Mitch was a generally happy guy, but recently he did find himself spending a lot of time reminiscing about his college glory days. “Not to brag,” says the now-father of two, “but I was a slightly above average bass player in an indie rock cover band. If you saw us, you’d think, ‘Hey, those guys… aren’t actually terrible!’”

Instead of emotionally reconnecting by reuniting the band, he tried a more realistic tactic: cranking up Modest Mouse – and slurping instant ramen. “It’s literally all we ate, and I love it now as much as I did then. Of course I don’t want to risk my health, but it’s a little thing that brings me a lot of joy, and that can’t be all bad, right?”

Lucky for Mitch – and millions of people like him – waxing nostalgic over a bowl of ramen can actually be great for your health, especially if that ramen is immi. To find out why, check out this step-by-step breakdown:

Step One: Nostalgia makes you generally optimistic – and that’s great for your health

Maybe it’s counterintuitive, but countless studies have shown that wistfully recollecting the good old days can make you more optimistic about life. Or maybe it’s not counterintuitive: it makes sense that remembering wonderful moments can remind you that you’re a fortunate person – and that you deserve to have more wonderful moments.

Either way, the important thing is: all on its own, optimism has been proven to boost overall physical and psychological health, inspire better dietary habits, and lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Step Two: Nostalgic optimism leads directly to “health optimism”

Here’s the really interesting part: nostalgic thinking doesn’t only lead to general optimism. Studies show that it also triggers specific feelings of “health optimism” – the belief that you’re in control of your body’s destiny, and that if things need changing, you have the ability to make that happen.

Step Three: Health optimism promotes healthy life choices

There’s a big difference between “I can do this!” and actually doing it. Lucky for you, the latest study in this field showed that nostalgia-induced health optimism leads directly to an increase in physical activity – people who believe they can get in better shape actually do get in better shape.

Okay that’s all fascinating, but I’m hungry! Where does food come in?

Glad you asked! Here’s the answer:

“Comfort food just brings up great memories for me. We’re a healthy family, but I make those dishes for my kids too. 20 years from now I want them to feel the same way.” – Kay C.

Step Four: Food is a very effective trigger for nostalgia

Food enlists all five senses in its mission to trigger your happiest memories. Reconnecting with the meals you grew up with instantaneously summons feelings of well-being and psychological comfort. Optimism, here we come.

That’s cool! But you mentioned instant ramen?

Yes, yes we did. Here’s why immi instant ramen supercharges the benefits of nostalgic eating:

Step Five: Noodles are the single most effective nostalgia trigger there is, but...

An Italian study (of course) actually proved that noodles are even more powerful than music or sports when it comes to activating “cognitive memory processes,” landing noodles the #1 spot on the “Memorization Index.”

The hitch: noodles, like many comfort foods, come packed with carbs, potentially neutralizing the positive effects.

“Eating immi is like revisiting my childhood, if my parents were nutritionists.” – Ellen M.

Step Six: immi instant ramen gives you all the nostalgia, and none of the carbs

immi’s founders spent years perfecting a healthy noodle that still captured the taste and texture they’d grown up with. The result: a 100% plant-based instant ramen loaded with 21 grams of fiber, tons of micronutrients, and only 6 net carbs.

That means you can literally indulge in nostalgia to your heart’s content, knowing your reverie and immi’s meticulously selected ingredients are working together to make you the happiest and healthiest you can be.