A Harvard expert reveals that the key to happiness through diet isn't about what you consume, but rather how you eat.

While there is a wealth of information on healthy diets, does research suggest any specific eating habits to enhance or sustain happiness?

According to Arthur C. Brooks, in a recent article for The Atlantic, the solution to achieving happiness is more subjective and personal than determining the ideal diet for managing blood-cholesterol levels.

According to Brooks, who teaches a course at Harvard University on managing happiness, eating food activates areas of the brain responsible for pleasurable feelings. However, to make this system a source of happiness, we need to experience enjoyment beyond mere pleasure.

Brooks discovered that the key to ultimate happiness through diet is not about the food itself, but rather the way it is consumed.

According to research in Asia, eating with others and having memorable experiences during meal times increases happiness.

Some additional factors Brooks says are key to a happiness diet include:

• Eating a variety of foods, particularly increasing protein and healthy fat intake while decreasing carbohydrate consumption.
• Only drinking alcohol moderately
• Eating less processed foods like refined sweets and junk food
• Avoiding obesity, but not to the point of undergoing a crash weight-loss program that resembles starvation.
• Eating on the run or foraging all day long is different from having formal meal times.

The social aspect of meal time was what stuck with Brooks.

Dr. Frank B. Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, recommended the practice earlier this year to CNBC Make It for longevity.

"Eating healthy food together not only nourishes our bodies but also strengthens our social connections."

Eating a healthy diet and engaging in social connection are two behaviors linked to longevity, and prioritizing meals as a time to connect with others can help you practice both, Hu said.

In Brooks' view, "The love is what truly matters for happiness, not just the food."

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