Study: this is why we photograph our food
We’ve been doing it for years: photographing our food porn. These days, everyone who is active on social media feels the urge to share everything around them. ELLE Eten investigated why we actually feel such a strong need to Instagram our food.
American researchers set out to find an explanation for foodstagramming. During the test, participants could choose between a fruit salad and red velvet cake, and decide whether or not they wanted to photograph it.
Capture the moment
The participants who chose to take a photo of the red velvet cake enjoyed it more than those who hadn’t. There was little difference when it came to the fruit salad.
Desire
Because you photograph your food and therefore wait before eating it, you build up anticipation. The same applies to praying before a meal. By praying, you pause to reflect on what’s to come, so you enjoy it more when that moment finally arrives.
Healthy together
Another notable finding: as soon as the health freaks who had chosen the fruit salad were told that other participants had also opted for the healthy choice, they became even more enthusiastic about their decision.
How so?
So when you share your healthy choices on Instagram, you also experience them as tastier. A kale smoothie doesn’t look particularly appealing, but as soon as you see that your healthy girlfriends are joining in, it suddenly tastes better, according to the American researchers.
