Could Food Porn Be Making You Fatter?

If the majority of your Instagram feed is food related, you may be in trouble!

Recent research has found that looking at pictures of delicious, decadent, high calorie food can contribute to weight gain. Researchers complied and reviewed data from several previous studies in an attempt to determine if looking at pictures of food can influence hunger.

They found a positive correlation between ‘consuming’ virtual food porn and consuming, real life high calorie foods. The more we look at the food, the more we want to eat it.

The authors explained, “Regular exposure to virtual foods nowadays, and the array of neural, physiological, and behavioural responses linked to it, might be exacerbating our physiological hunger way too often.”

Could Food Porn Be Making You Fatter? Click To Tweet

They also noted that hunger isn’t just psychological. Our bodies actually release hormones telling us to eat when we look at pictures of food, especially unhealthy foods. This release of hormones can cause our hearts to race, our insulin levels to spike and our salivary glands to kick into gear. All of these physical responses tell our brains and our bodies that it is time to eat.

One study used in the review found that overweight individuals are more likely to respond to food porn in this way, and repeated exposure to photos of a certain food may actually decrease the enjoyment a person derives from eating that food.

What does this mean? Food porn, although fun to look at, is NOT YOUR FRIEND! Food porn is fine in moderation just don’t go overboard. Watch what you actually eat and make a little room in your social media life for other interests. Cat videos and gym selfies? Why not!

What do you think of this information? Plausible or ridiculous?

For help keeping your eating habits on track, check out the BodyRock Meal Plan. More than just a 30 day meal planner, this plan comes with a detailed nutrition guide and an added recipe book with over 70 offerings!

Source: Elite Daily

 

1. Prev:Could Being Mindful Lead To Less Belly Fat?
2. Next:16 Easy, Science-Backed Ways To Continue Losing Weight