ASMR eating is an act that can induce a tingling sensation in your brain, head, neck, and spine through sounds and visuals of people biting, chewing and slurping different types of foods. If the sight or sound of people eating is something that sends a pleasurable tingling sensation down your spine, then you’ve probably experienced ASMR eating.
It’s also a subcategory to ASMR, an acronym that stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, which you can learn more about in our article “What is ASMR?“.
Why is ASMR eating so popular?
One of the main reasons ASMR eating is so popular is due to the fact that it commonly involves several different ASMR triggers. Because of this, the chance is high one will experience pleasant tingles while watching ASMR eating videos, regardless of what triggers that’s preferred.
For others, the allure of sharing a meal with an ASMR artist is more than enough to make them watch ASMR food videos during mealtimes. This is particularly true for those who live alone and would love to have someone to eat with.
Interestingly if you have any issues with your appetite or you have queer eating habits, watching ASMR food videos can greatly increase your craving for particular foods and change your diet patterns.
Another reason why the popularity of this phenomenon is fast gaining traction is that food videos of people eating are readily available on the internet. You do not have to search far to find food ASMR content. Video and social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram host millions of ASMR videos and thousands of ASMR eating artists who make a point of creating fresh content almost on a daily basis.
You can also view ASMR eating videos on live streaming platforms such as Twitch, which makes it even more accessible for everyone to enjoy.
What type of food is used in ASMR eating?
ASMR eating videos usually feature any type of food. However, specific types of food have a greater ASMR effect than others. In addition, some people tend to experience ASMR when watching or listening to people eating particular types of food in a certain way.
For instance, the sound of someone slurping tea could trigger ASMR is one person, but turn out to be appalling to another person. Such a person might prefer the sounds of people biting crunchy foods or tearing into goopy dishes like pudding.
With that said, ASMR eating artists tend to use specific types of foods for their content in order to create the ultimate ASMR experience. Some of the most popular foods used in ASMR include:
- Honeycombs
- Chicken wings
- Fruits & vegetables (apples, lettuce)
- Seagrapes
- Popcorn
- Chocolate and candy
- Noodles
- Raw pasta
- Rice
- Hard crackers
- Aloe vera
- Nuts and seeds
- Fish
Who is the most popular ASMR eating artist?
The most popular ASMR eating artist is undeniably SAS-ASMR. She has a large following over 7.84 million subscribers (as of Dec 2019) who often watch her over 600 ASMR eating and mukbang videos.
Intriguingly, her most popular ASMR video amassed over 41 million views. The 12-minute video features SAS-ASMR eating extremely sticky honeycombs while producing chewing sounds for a soothing ASMR experience.
What makes SAS-ASMR different from many other ASMR eating artists, is the fact that she often reveals her face in most of her YouTube channel videos. Her actions have inspired many artists who are now mimicking her style.
Apart from the sounds, her visual expressions (while eating) go a long way to trigger ASMR in some people. She also has several videos where her husband and other family members make special/guest appearances for their very own food ASMR videos.
Other ASMR eating artists who deserve special mentions include FoodieLicious ASMR, HunniBee ASMR, Hungry Cakes, ASMR Phan and N.E Let’s Eat.
What kind of microphone do you need to create ASMR eating videos?
You need a binaural microphone to create high-quality ASMR eating videos. This type of microphone is set up with two mics situated on the left and right of the device. Moreover, it is designed to immerse the listener by creating a 3D stereo sound sensation similar to being in the same room with the ASMR artists.
When creating ASMR eating videos, artists need to select a microphone that is capable of picking up all sounds directly from the source. After all, these sounds are the main triggers of a great ASMR experience. Binaural microphones do a splendid job by capturing the nitty-gritty sounds directly from the performers while they are eating, for the best audio sensation.
Alternative microphone options include cardioid, omnidirectional and XY. However, binaural microphones are highly recommended due to their quality and capabilities.
For more information, read our review of the best ASMR microphones.
Is ASMR eating and mukbang the same thing?
It is very easy to confuse ASMR eating for mukbang due to their striking similarities. However, these two genres are not the same. ASMR eating focuses on creating content that features pleasurable sounds of people eating.
Conversely, mukbang traces its roots to South Korea, and it entails broadcasting performers eating large amounts of food for purposes of entertaining the audience. Moreover, mukbang videos are usually silent. Thus, they do not have the desired ASMR effect.
Bottom line
We all experience eating sounds in different ways. While some people cannot stand the sounds of someone slurping, smacking or biting food, others find it extremely exciting, and they just can’t get enough of the performers chewing and biting the different types of delicacies. Whatever your preferences, ASMR eating is here to stay, and it could be just a matter of time before you experience this tingling sensation down your spine!