Why You Should Eat Popcorn with Chopsticks
Caramel popcorn, your favorite. An entire bag, just for you. That’s pure enjoyment! But you could take that enjoyment to the next level by eating the popcorn with chopsticks, or with a spoon. That’s the conclusion reached by a team of scientists from the University of Chicago and Ohio State.
The researchers focused on the eating experience of certain dishes and discovered that the flavor became more intense when people ate their favorite food in an unusual way. A hamburger with a knife and fork, water from a cocktail glass and popcorn with chopsticks—all ways to shake things up a little, resulting in greater culinary enjoyment.
Ten popcorn kernels
Do you always throw handfuls of popcorn into your mouth at once (I confess)? During this study, participants were asked to eat the popcorn one kernel at a time; they received ten each on a plate. To keep the pace slow, half of the participants were given chopsticks, while the other half could simply pick up the popcorn with their hands. And what did they find? The people who had eaten their snack with chopsticks thought the popcorn was much tastier.
Champagne from a coffee cup
‘When something is new and different, you pay more attention to it,’ the scientists explain. They found similar results when they had people drink tap water from a martini glass instead of an ordinary water glass. In a comparable study, participants were given champagne in a coffee cup, and what do you think: they loved it. The same applied to coffee served in champagne flutes.
No, please don’t use a slipper
Unfortunately, chopsticks only work once: once the surprise is gone, the ordinary taste of popcorn remains. So every time, you’ll have to come up with something new to enjoy your hamburger to the fullest. Fries with a fondue fork? Red wine from a plant mister? Let your creativity run wild! And no, that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to serve a hamburger on a dustpan and brush, or on a slipper or shopping cart, as supposedly creative restaurants do.
Also read:
- The 6 types of popcorn eaters and what they say about you
- Scientific research: how does corona affect our eating behavior?
- Study proves: people who make a mess while eating are healthier
Source: Foxnews
