Food is a way to survive and can also be termed as a cure for a bad mood. It has links to the mind as well.
Here is some research from food psychology experiments that you must know about:
1 You don’t know when you get full
We think that the amount of food we eat depends on how hungry we are. Apart from that, the size of plates and spoons are also some factors. In other words, our stomachs only provide crude messages about how much we have eaten but we rely on our vision and the eyes are fooled.
2 High-fat food is bad
Many people believe that high-fat food is bad. In the 80s, public health campaigns, articles, and books promoted this idea. All fats are not bad, some are necessary for our body. People avoid small snacks with high-fat content in favor of large snacks with low-fat content. In reality, low-fat snacks have more calories because it is bigger. People underestimate the number of calories in low-fat, ‘good’ foods and overestimate the calories in high-fat, ‘bad’ foods.
3 Taste fades with age
As we age, our sense of taste becomes weaker. A study has found that the ability to detect salt was the most affected. Depending on the taste, older people need 2 to 9 times condiment like salt to experience the exact taste. Men are the most affected by the loss in this ability. Older people have fewer taste buds and their sense of smell decreases with the age. We taste much of our food with noses so when it doesn’t work, our sense of taste is also lost.
4 Carrots taste weird for breakfast
Either you hate carrots or love it, but there’s always something to say. What if you have them for breakfast? Well, it might not taste the same when it is mixed with other vegetables. The context in which food is eaten depends on the time of the day, the company we have, and the place.
5 Server’s body weight affects what you choose
According to the study, body weight of the server has an effect on what you order. They found that people who were dieting ate more food when served by an obese waitress who encouraged them to choose unhealthy snacks. It unconsciously gives the people permission to overeat. An opposite effect on people was seen who were not dieting. They ate more when the waitress was thin.
6 Fat friends mean fat self
Fat friends cause us to be fat. According to the study, the chance of people being obese increased by 57% if they had friends who were obese. People are influenced by the eating behavior of the people around them. Even when people are eating alone, they are influenced by social norms. For example, men are thought to have big meals as compared to women who eat small meals.
7 Eating intentions are beaten by habits
The best way to predict what you will have be having tomorrow is influenced by your habits. Changing our habits is hard as our decisions are based on them and depend on routine situations.
8 Mindless Eating
Mindless eating can be easily termed as eating while your mind is wandering somewhere else. Studies have shown that when the mind is distracted like while watching TV or talking to friends, people tend to eat more, and we get less enjoyment from it. One approach to combat this problem is to take smaller bites and pay attention while eating.
9 Suppressing thoughts of food lead to bingeing
People who suppress their food thoughts have more food cravings and are more prone to binge eating.
10 If anything is healthy, have more of it
It is a misconception that if there is something healthy presented in front of you, then you can have more of it. These so-called healthy foods can be bad for us as they increase the consumption.
11 Full fat= it tastes better
People said that anything that is full-fat is bound to taste better. This is strongest for people who are worried about the effect of food on their health.
12 Bad moods make us eat bad stuff
When we get emotional, what we eat gets affected. An experiment resulted that people who were put in a bad mood were more likely to consume sugary and snacks high in fat. Negative emotions also lead people to have snacks rather than a proper meal and a few vegetables. Good mood doesn’t necessarily mean that people will have good food. They rather have more of everything rather than specific foods.
13 Healthy foods boost the mood
People who consume more fruits and vegetables are more satisfied with life and remain happy, but it is not sure if fruits and vegetables cause that happiness. According to the latest study, having healthy fruits and vegetables daily, boost the mood the next day. It is based on the idea that micronutrients like folates improve depression.
14 What others order affects our order too
What others order affects our order too as when we had made up our mind about our particular order, we tend to get influenced by what others order. We go for a different item. This influences our desire to stand out and express our individuality through a different food choice.
15 Trying all sorts of food is a matter of self-image
Some of us try bizarre food items in the name of exploring and experimenting. The main reason is to get recognized for being different from others and considered as daring for trying new experiences.
16 Tasting something sweet makes you nicer
Research has shown that people with a sweet tooth are friendlier than people who prefer other taste. Tasting something sweet makes us kinder. People felt kinder and more agreeable to volunteer or help someone else. So, a little hack- bring along some sweets for your friends or members so that they get along well.
17 Little changes trump weird crash diets
Making small changes in your eating habits can be helpful in the long run. You need to use smaller plates, ensure that you don’t eat directly from plates, put down cutlery in between bites instead of harsh dieting to lose weight.
18 Food tastes differ depending on the context
There are certain foods that people might refuse or agree to eat. Our taste depends on what is in front of us and also at the particular time of the day.
19 The sense of smell represent 80% of the flavour
According to the study, without a sense of smell, we cannot distinguish between the flavors of the food. The vapors that come from our food while we breathe out stimulate cells in our nose. We don’t realize it because we only notice the textural quality of the food.
20 It’s not just lunch, it evokes jealousy
If you have lunch with your ex-partner, it has an effect on your partner more than it would if you had coffee or talked to them over the phone. Having lunch can trigger jealousy.
