In the restaurant, the chef puts three courses in front of you. One is a beautifully decorated funfetti cake-like from a Michelin star holder. The second dish is a round pizza with melted cheese and a crispy edge. The third course looks like a meaningless mixture that soldiers saw on their plates in the Vietnam War. Which food will you choose, and why?
Brain, Food, and Aesthetics
The sight of something beautiful activates the center of reward in the brain. This means that we feel pleasure looking at what we evaluate as beautiful. People tend to think that what gives us pleasure is not useful and beneficial. People often think that food is either tasty or healthy, but not both. Therefore, they may perceive beautiful food as inappropriate.
But if the so-called “classical” aesthetics works, which is characterized by symmetrical patterns, order, and order. Both occur in nature. If the food is created based on classical aesthetics, we can consider unhealthy food as healthy. In this case, we may find good-looking food healthy. People tend to believe in natural things healthier.
In another study, people considered nice-looking food to be less caloric. They would pay more for it than for less nice food from the same ingredients.
Marketing Might Influence Consumers’ Judgment
Consumers see thousands of advertisements for food, restaurants, and fast food every year. Sellers design marketing materials to make food look excellent, tasty, and tempting. A well-presented presentation of food can distort our judgment about the suitability of the food.
When examining food, we use all our senses – sight, smell, taste, and touch. Sight is first in line. Therefore, we can say with exaggeration that we also eat with our eyes. Sound judgment and self-education will help us in making food choices.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201107133908.htm
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