We’re addicted to it, and you probably are too. We’re talking Instagram #FoodPorn, or the thousands of pics of stellar looking edibles that clutter your Instagram feed every day.
Brigham Young University’s School of Management asked a very intriguing question: Is this overabundance of food photographs making our tastebuds tired? According to the findings of this recent BYU study, just looking at Instagram food pictures can wear out your tastebuds.
The study took 232 students and asked them to rate pictures of food according to how tasty the food looked. Half were given 60 Instagram pictures of sweet treats (cake, pastries), the others looked at 60 pictures of salty snacks (pretzels, chips). At the end of the experiment, the participants were given peanuts. “The ones who had been looking at salty snacks, across the board, reported enjoying the peanuts less,” reports Mashable.
“You’re becoming tired of that taste without even eating the food,” says professor Ryan Elder, who co-authored the study. “It’s sensory boredom. You’ve kind of moved on. You don’t want that taste experience anymore.” In other words, you feel satiated by the food pictures, which makes you desire the actual food less.
Regardless of these recent findings, we’re not deleting our Instagram account. And you’ll have to kill us and pry the iPhones out of our cold, dead hands if you want us to stop ‘gramming our meals.
[via Mashable]
