In the digital age, foraging has a new spin: An over abundance of food images coming at us across all our devices, otherwise known as food porn. As a recent article in the Guardian newspaper states, “It’s a term that hints at the way that it depletes our resources of self-restraint.” Several studies suggest looking at food is not as innocent as it sounds—excessive exposure to food images may actually be making us fatter.
It’s no coincidence that the brain and the mouth are both at the same end of the body. Food is essential to our survival, and it takes brains to figure out how to forage.
The problem is that all the food we are barraged by on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TV and advertising induces a kind of visual hunger, complete with actual physiological and neurophysiological changes in our brains and bodies. It exacerbates our hunger levels, boosting our appetite.
As one of the study author says, “food images light up the taste cortex of the brain. This increases our blood flow as well as our impulse to self-restrain, such as ‘I shouldn’t be eating that.’” If over the day we have to keep fortifying our resolve, ultimately our will power gets weakened. Will power is finite—it’s not meant to be constantly tested. Acts of self-control deplete relatively large amounts of glucose. If it’s depleted, it results in lower glucose levels. Ultimately, our answer might be to solve the situation by giving in to the desire to not only have the cake but eat it too.
Food porn and actual food, it turns out (are you surprised?) are a mutually reinforcing cycle, acting as a powerful incitement for each other.
The takeaway? Food images do have consequences—it’s a slippery slope from eye to mouth. Here are a few tips to shore up your resolve:
Don’t look at food images late at night—your restraint has probably been sorely tested during the day, not leaving you much will power in reserve.
Try not to look at food images when you are hungry. One study showed that looking at pictures of the high-calorie foods was also linked with a greater reporting of craving sweet and salty foods.
If a craving hits and doesn’t subside (most cravings do subside after ten minutes) plan on an exit strategy. Unplug, go for a walk, sweep the floor, do what it takes to swap in a new stimulus that doesn’t lead you straight to the fridge.
Get enough sleep. Sleep deprived individuals individuals find junk food highly rewarding, which tends to lead to greater consumption of said food.