Why does food eaten by hands seem tastier?

There is probably no person in the world whodoesn't like to eat deliciously. The way a person perceives the taste of food is influenced by many factors, including the appearance, temperature, composition of the dish, and even the surrounding environment. But could you think that the sensation of the food we eat can be affected by the fact that we eat it with our hands or with the help of cutlery? This seems to be a fairly truthful assumption, because it was proved in the course of two experiments conducted by psychologist Adriana Madzharov. In her opinion, if a person eats food with his hands, it seems to him more delicious. But this only works on one important condition.

There is an assumption that eating with hands is much tastier than cutlery

The study was described inscientific journal Journal of Retailing. The first of the experiments was attended by 45 students who previously filled out a questionnaire prepared by a psychiatrist. Using leading questions, the author of the study wanted to find out which of the volunteers knows how to control their eating behavior, and which cannot stop the temptation to eat something tasty. Since the French cheese Münster played an important role in the experiment, with the help of the questionnaire, the psychologist additionally made sure that all students are indifferent to this product.

Can I eat food by hand?

During the first experiment, the participantsIt was suggested to try a piece of cheese "Munster". Previously, it was necessary to make out from all sides and only then evaluate the taste. One part of the volunteers ate their piece by lifting it with a toothpick, and the other just with the help of hands. As it turned out, people who indicated in the questionnaire that they knew how to control their eating behavior, when eating cheese, appreciated its taste much more than those who ate with a toothpick. But those who immediately admitted inability to control themselves in terms of eating food did not notice any difference in taste.

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To make sure the assumption thatthat the way in which food is eaten affects taste perception, a second experiment was conducted. The author of the study divided 145 people into two groups. The first was proposed to behave as supporters of proper nutrition, that is, to realize that overeating is harmful to health and spoils the figure. People from the second group, in turn, temporarily forgot about their health and could afford anything.

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Both groups of people were offered plates withsmall donuts. Just like in the previous experiment, people first evaluated the products externally and only then began to eat them with toothpicks or hands. As expected, people who were advised to control their eating behavior and ate with their hands appreciated the taste of the donuts much more than the others.

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According to the psychologist, this is due to the fact thatself-controlled people try to control their appetite and begin to enjoy the fact that they are holding the product in their hands. They get two times more sensations than the rest, therefore, according to the psychologist, and consider the food more delicious. Of course, her conclusions can be called too strained, but maybe you have a more convincing explanation for this phenomenon? You can share your option in the comments.