I couldn't tell you if I'm running low on fruit right now. But I've got a photographic memory of the junk food in my cupboard. Maybe this is why . . .
A new study found humans are much better at remembering where HIGH-CALORIE foods are stored than healthy foods.
Researchers filled a room with eight different foods, both healthy and unhealthy. And they had 500 volunteers walk around and sample each one.
After they were done, each person had to draw a map of where all the foods were. And it turned out they were more likely to remember where the junk foods were located.
They were 27% more accurate with junk food, and not just because it tasted better. It even happened with people who didn't like the junk food samples.
So why did it happen that way? Well, thousands of years ago, you were less likely to starve to death if you knew where to find high-calorie foods.
So the researchers think it comes down to our evolution, and we're just pre-programmed to care more about foods that pack a lot of calories.
(EurekAlert) Image © 2020 GettyImages