These Soothing Food Videos Want to Help You Relax

Experiencing food is a multi-sensory affair. It’s not just about taste and flavor profile, you know. Equally important are aroma, visual aesthetic, and the auditory experience. If you’re skeptical on the latter, then know that there’s an entire world for individuals with Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (or ASMR) who enjoy specific food sounds, and there are tons of videos to prove it.

For some, it’s crinkling and chopping, for others it’s sautéing and stirring. Intense eating sounds — say slurping, chewing, or crunching — are also pleasure triggers for these individuals (most people describe it as a “tingling in the brain”). As a result, content platforms like YouTube and SnapChat are becoming the go-to spots for food content catering to individuals with ASMR.

The videos are diverse in their content. They can be anything from reading recipes and cooking tutorials to extreme crunching and consuming an abundance of food while casually chatting.

Take for example, one of the most popular AMSR food videos out there from ASMR Darling, where she eats a Chick-fil-a breakfast sandwich, a side of hash browns, and a Dr. Pepper. The video currently has over 1.5 million views on YouTube.

These AMSR food videos are getting so popular that bigger brands, including Blue Apron, are getting in on the sensation.

There’s not a lot of research on ASMR, so the scientific community has a limited amount of knowledge on the phenomena. But Stephen Smith, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Winnipeg, told NPR there’s no danger or real harm. If anything, it can be an asset to some.

“Some [people who experience ASMR] use it to help them relax. It’s like meditation for them,” Smith said. “They watch the video and go into a meditative state, which is associated with health benefits.”

Do you have any favorite ASMR food videos? Link to them in the comments!