Eating habits are highly influenced by social media today. Many people do not simply eat based on hunger or cultural tradition, but based on what is trending online. Influencers promote “what I eat in a day” videos, high-protein diets, green juices, gut health routines, and aesthetically curated meals that often become normalized as the “ideal” way to eat. This suggests that eating is not inherently personal; rather, it is socially constructed. When influencers label certain foods as clean, healthy, or superior, they transform how followers view their own bodies and food choices. Food becomes related to appearance, discipline, and even social status. Instead of eating primarily for nourishment, people may eat for aesthetics or validation. In this way, eating becomes a performance, especially when meals are photographed, filmed, and shared online.
To add on, there is a contradiction in digital food culture. While many influencers promote expensive “healthy” lifestyles, this includes supplements, protein powders, organic groceries, and specialty products, which not everyone can afford. This creates a standard of what “healthy eating” should look like. In contrast, mukbang videos on platforms like TikTok often show a large amount of fast food and high-calorie meals. These videos gain attention because they are visually dramatic, accessible, and relatable. For some viewers, it may feel easier to connect with or watch excessive fast-food consumption than to replicate expensive health trends. Both the restrictive “clean eating” and excessive mukbang consumption shape how audiences understand normal eating behaviors.
Not only that, influencers frequently profit from sponsorships, which connects eating directly to capitalism. Food trends are not just cultural; they are monetized. I wonder how much of what we eat is truly our own choice, and how much is shaped by digital trends, the economic inequality, and the invisible pressures of social media culture.
