Breaking Bread & Social Bonding
Breaking bread with others has always been an effective way of bonding. Experts claim that food has the mana to bring people together, leading to the oxytocin-release, known as the "bonding hormone". It boosts an array of emotions, among them, trust, empathy, and social connection.
We all experienced how enjoyable it is to dine together. Commensality - the practice of eating together - has always been one of the powerful tools to foster connections which is vital for maintaining mental health. The act of eating together has been used to form new ties since the dawn of time.
To delve into the psychology and power of food, researchers at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business conducted a study, unveiling that incidental, similar food consumption could bring consumers closer and spiral liking, leading to increased trust and cooperation.
"Food serves as a social lubricant and is especially beneficial for new relationships where people have limited information about the other person and are forming first impressions. In consuming similarly, people can immediately begin to feel camaraderie and develop a bond, leading to smoother transactions from the start," reads the study.
Learning more about the food's magical power inspired us to create Tasteit with a global mission to aid people in forging close bonds through food. In addition to connecting foodmates, our brainchild hopes to support international efforts to put an end to the "epidemic of loneliness."
Not a long while ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared loneliness to be a pressing global health threat. The WHO underscored the significance of the high-quality social connections for our mental and physical health.
In a bid to foster high-quality social connections, we found a tasty way and launched Tasteit app, the first food social network which connects foodies as per their culinary preferences. It is the comfort app to find comfort food and comfort foodmates.
