25 foods that make us happier than having SEX (and yes, chocolate and pizza are on the list)

It’s official – eating our favourites foods makes us happier than having sex.

Three-quarters of Brits would prefer to chomp on a chocolate bar or scoff a pizza than get down between the sheets, a new study has revealed.

More than half of those polled claim eating their favourite food lifts their spirits more than their favourite TV shows, while 55% it makes them happier than exercise.

Among the top 25 foods revealed to make us happier are juicy steaks, crisp salads, spicy curries and cheese, according to the study of 2,000 Brits by Giraffe World Kitchen.

Expert Psychologist, Dr Becky Spelman who studied the research findings, said: “When we taste, see, or even think about the food we love, our natural serotonin levels rise, giving us a sense of overall happiness and well-being.

“From childhood, we learn to associate food and certain treats, with a range of occasions typically celebrated with food.

“This stays with us all the way into our adult life and in almost every culture, food is a way of showing love and affection.”

According to the study, other foods most likely to make us truly happy emerged as plates of pasta (28 percent), buttery mashed potato (26 percent), juicy burgers (42 percent) and cheesy nachos (22 percent).

OUR TOP TWENTY-FIVE HAPPY FOODS REVEALED

1. Chocolate –  48 percent
2. Hot pizza – 47 percent
3. Fish and chips – 43 percent
4. A juicy steak – 43 percent
5. A burger  – 42 percent
6. A spicy curry – 37 percent
7. Ice cream  – 33 percent
8. Chocolate brownie –  29 percent
9. Cheese and biscuits – 29 percent
10. A plate of pasta –  28 percent
11. Buttery mashed potato –  25 percent
12. A baked potato –  24 percent
13. Fish fingers and chips –  22 percent
14. Smoked salmon and scrambled egg –  22 percent
15. Cheesy Nachos –  22 percent
16. A crisp salad – 20 percent
17. Pancake drizzled with syrup – 20 percent
18. Tapas – 20 percent
19. Eggs and bacon – 19 percent
20. Beans on toast – 19 percent
21. French bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar  – 18 percent
22. A spicy burrito –  16 percent
23. Risotto  – 16 percent
24. Hummus and pitta – 15 percent