Who is not familiar with the following scenario? After coming home from work or university we sit down in front of the TV, check our new messages, scroll through social media all while eating. Everyone has done it before or some of you might even do this quite often. And suddenly the food on our plate is gone without us even noticing how much we just ate or how it actually tasted.

This happens because distractions, such as the smartphone or the television, on the one hand lead to an increased intake of food [1] and on the other hand also affect the sense of taste [2]. Researchers found out that we consume about 15% more calories per meal when looking at our cell phones, answering messages or watching TV [1]. The intake of nutrient dense foods also increases [3]. Even during childhood, the time spend watching television plays an important role in regards to food intake. According to a study children who often watch TV tend to eat more and exercise less [4]. In addition, researchers found out that in recent years more and more seasoning is needed in restaurants. This leads to the assumption that people's sense of taste is not as sensitive as it was a few years ago. Due to constant distractions more and more salt and sugar is needed as the distractions apparently also impact our taste buds [2].

All in all, take your time when eating! Think of it as a time out from your stressful day or all the messages on your phone. Enjoy it to the fullest! Because it does not only matter what you eat but also how you eat it.