Why we make food porn and how to make it better
Jon Tattrie | CBC News | Posted: October 14, 2014 3:00 PM | Last Updated: October 14, 2014
From pizza and beer to Michelin star dishes, we look at the complex world of food porn
When we ask you to share your photos with us as part of Nova Scotia's A Day in the Life on Oct. 17, we know you’ll include a lot of food photos, be they 2 a.m. donairs or a 3 p.m. blueberry grunt.
So how can we spice up our food porn? And why is it so popular? Food represents all of the internet's failings: you can't smell it, touch it or taste it. Food without these things is nothing but pretty pixels.
We asked Susan Albers, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in eating issues, why we indulge in food porn. She's written many books on food, including 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food and Eating Mindfully.
And bonus! She also studies mindfulness, and gave us three ways to use food porn to eat more mindfully.
10 reasons we make food porn:
- Check This Out: In the olden days, when you ate a good meal, you'd describe it to your friends on the phone or in person. "You wouldn't believe the steak I had last night." But, a picture is worth 1,000 words. Posting your plate may be a quick, easy way to share the fine details of an incredible meal or a memorable dining experience.
- Look How Good I Am: Ever post a plate of fresh veggies or a bowl of oatmeal? You may be posting food to show people that you are eating mindfully and consuming healthy meals. These posts might get a thumbs up from your friends — or at least avoid criticism and snide comments.
- Look How Bad I Am: Confession time. Posting a slice of cheesecake or chili cheese fries may be a way of alleviating guilt or inviting the same kind of internal criticism you might be struggling with inside. "How could I have eaten that?" you ask yourself. Posting the yummy treat allows friends to either alleviate your guilt with reassurance. Or, they may add to your regret by pointing out the calorie content and your "badness" for digging into fat, salt and sugar.
- Can You Believe I Ate This? Ever post weird and exotic combinations of food? Perhaps you ate chocolate covered grasshoppers in Thailand. There is nothing like documented, visual proof that you have taken a leap into unknown food territory.
- Help Me: Posting a lot of images of food may indicate a problematic relationship with eating. The photos might be inviting others to intervene or to help keep you accountable. People who routinely upload pictures may do so unconsciously and therefore may not even be aware of their unhealthy focus on food.
- Food Advice: A picture of an appetizer from a swanky Chicago restaurant or a burger from a greasy spoon is likely to convince others it is worth the trip.
- Cooking Magic: Perhaps you've posted a picture of a masterpiece you've whipped up in the kitchen. It's a great forum for showing off your grilling, frying and baking skills.
- Cravings: Have you snapped a photo of a luscious frosted cupcake in a bakery window or a slice of dense cheesecake on a dessert tray? Food photos often reveal what you'd love to consume and the nature of your culinary desires.
- Gross! Can't pass up the opportunity to freak people out? Think pictures of rainbow-coloured bacon as well as peanut butter and tuna on crackers.
- Know Me: "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are," wrote the French philosopher Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. Wanting people to truly know you may be your motivation for keeping a daily food journal on your Facebook page or uploading the occasional photo of your meals. Documenting what you eat tells your friends a lot about who you are: your habits, personality, preferences and culinary weaknesses. If this sounds like you, it's likely that you've already become a fan of "Taking Pictures of Food."
How photos can help us to eat more mindfully
- They keep us accountable: A picture is worth 1,000 calories. Photos help you remember what you ate. Research indicates that your memory is very poor when it comes to remembering what you ate. A simple snap shot can jog your memory. In the past, you used a pen and paper to record what you ate. Now you use a photo, which is must faster. Also, a picture doesn't "fudge" the truth, which can happen when we are just relying on our memory or perception of how much we ate. Research indicates that we significantly underestimate how much we eat.
- Posting photos elicits feedback: Friends and family can give you a virtual high five!
- Remember the good: A picture of an amazing dish can remind you of what you really like and enjoy. Skip the mediocre food.