Eating

If you always brush your teeth after eating, science has something to tell you: you’re doing it wrong

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“Almost everyone brushes their teeth,” concluded a group of researchers from the University of Gothenburg in 2012. The problem is that “only one in ten does it well.” The results were limited to Sweden, but from what we know They are still perfectly valid In the Western world: we spend a disproportionate amount of time and resources cleaning our teeth poorly. It’s not just the citizens’ fault. And it is that, as the BBC explainedstudies have found at least “66 different types of expert advice, sometimes contradictory to each other.” So we’ve asked ourselves… what does the available evidence say about brushing your teeth? How to brush your teeth? The most effective way to brush our teeth is one that understands why we brush them. We usually believe that we brush to remove food from our mouths; but there is something else. The teeth develop a dense biofilm (dental plaque) that surrounds them and is not easy to remove with just rinsing. We brush our teeth to manually remove that sticky layer as much as possible. To remove it from the teeth and gums, of course. There is various techniques for thisbut now we are going to focus on the most important: that “the movement should not be made horizontally, but rather the brush should move from the gums to the bottom of the tooth”, explained the dentist Juan Casado Adán. And go through all the teeth, one by one, without much pressure or haste. Oh, and by the way, after you brush, spit. But don’t rinse. If you do, most of the fluoride ends up going down the drain. How many times do you have to brush your teeth? Twice at least the experts tell us: one before we go to sleep and another as soon as we wake up. It may seem strange, but it has an explanation: saliva plays a key role in inhibiting bacterial plaque. but while we sleep we produce less saliva. Like, while we sleep, our mouth becomes more hospitable to bacteria, prior washing helps to eliminate ‘residues’ that bacteria can use to develop their activity and weaken the enamel. For this reason, the key function of washing after waking up is to renew the bacteria-laden environment in our mouth and help saliva fulfill its function. Shouldn’t you brush your teeth after meals? In reality, by using medium-hard brushes, we can brush our teeth as many times as we want. And yes, it is usually a good idea to do it after eating because this way we remove waste that bacteria could use. However, there are exceptions: if we have consumed a lot of acidic drinks (“such as soda, coffee or alcohol”), sweets or vomited, brushing immediately may be a mistake. According to Luis Cabezas Vallejo, pediatric nurseWhen the pH of the mouth is acidic, the enamel weakens and brushing at that time can cause damage (even if it is negligible). As Juan Carlos Llodra explained on ABCdeputy secretary of the Executive Committee of the General Council of Dentist Associations of Spain, in this situation it is better to wait, let the saliva neutralize the acids (or sugars) and then brush. Image | Quang Tri Nguyen In Xataka | We are a little closer to fulfilling the dream of dentists: teeth that grow back

“Eating banana, grapes, mango or pineapple at night could interfere with rest”

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The Internet and social networks are fertile ground for nutritional myths, and the latest to gain strength has a name and surname. Recently, some statements attributed to cardiologist Aurelio Rojas they suggested that consuming fruits such as bananas, grapes, mango or pineapple at night could directly interfere with our rest, fragment sleep and cause us to wake up exhausted. But the truth is that the available evidence does not agree with this information. The late-night carb debate. The main argument for discouraging tropical or sweeter fruits at night is usually based on the glycemic response. It is true that our body does not metabolize macronutrients exactly the same at eight in the morning as at ten at night, and it is something that is studied a lot and even has its own name: chrononutrition. Studied. A recent meta-analysis published in it Journal of the American Nutrition Association addressed precisely this question and their results concluded that, indeed, eating carbohydrates at night produces higher post-meal glucose values ​​than if they are consumed in the morning. However, the study found no clear differences in insulin response. In this way, the fact that a banana or some grapes raise glucose slightly more at night does not prove, by itself, that they will worsen the quality of our sleep. At the extremes. Another thing is that we go, as always, towards the extremes and we are faced with a case of a person who gorges on fruit at night where logically they will have heavy digestion and a more fragmented sleep. Because here precisely one of the tips that experts always give to deal with insomnia problems is to have a light dinner and not immediately before going to bed. But logically we are not faced with this situation, but with the pretext of eating a little fruit in the evening, which is quite positive. Fruit is not an enemy. Far from being a big problem for our night’s rest, fruits could be great allies for our pillow. Here, an article published in 2025 in Sleep Health analyzed The relationship between the consumption of these foods and rest patterns, and experts found that a higher intake of fruits and vegetables during the day was, in fact, associated with less sleep fragmentation during the following night. Specifically, it was estimated that consuming around 5 cups of fruits and vegetables daily is related to a 16% improvement in overall sleep quality. The advice. In this way we can see that suggesting that anyone should stop eating fruit because of sleep fragmentation has no basis. Another thing is that there is some type of digestive problem or even diabetes that may discourage eating this type of food, but for the vast majority of the population this problem should not exist. In Xataka | “A random selection may be insufficient”: Choosing your 5 daily fruits and vegetables also matters

In Spain, eating has become a procedure that must be quick and easy. And that is making gold for the supermarkets that prepare dishes

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When it comes to eating, we Spaniards no longer want only tasty dishes. We want time. We want flexibility. We want an assortment that allows us to choose. And if possible, we want all of the above at a good price. Whoever can square the circle will have the keys to a billion-dollar business. For now, the data from Worldpanel by Numerator reveal that more and more people are finding this offer in the prepared foods section of the supermarket, which in just four years has seen its sales increased by 55%. The curious thing is that this percentage reveals much more about us as consumers than about the business itself. The figure: 55%. The food sector has been around for a long time emitting signals about what the business of prepared food is growing in Spain, but few (or none) have been as clear as the one just shared by Worldpanel by Numerator. In your report ‘Convenience, the super power that changes everything’, the platform specialized in data and market analysis, has revealed that sales of ready-to-eat dishes have skyrocketed 55% from 2022. A name: Mercadona. Worldpanel has not provided more detailed data on demand, net consumption or per capita intake, but the percentage is still revealing. Above all because it helps us better understand how the demand for this type of product works, how the market behaves and who its protagonists are. As a reference, Worldpanel calculates that Mercadona monopolizes “one third” of the growth recorded in the category since 2020. It is not at all surprising if you take into account the commitment that the Valencian chain has made for its ‘Ready to eat’ section. Since its launch in 2018, it has been expanding it through its network of stores in Spain and Portugal until closing in 2025. almost 1,500 points selling and conquering much of it of the demand. If both prepared food and pre-cooked foods (creams, packaged chicken or refrigerated pizza, for example) are taken into account, last year Mercadona entered 3 billion of euros between both countries. Habit changes. That the prepared food business is growing so quickly is just a reflection of our own changes as consumers. We buy differently than our parents did because our priorities are also different. In the same study Worldpanel reveals two data that prove it. First, the time we spend cooking has been reducing until it remains at 24.5 minutes a day. Second, that 41% of consumers (5% more than in 2020) admits that he usually eats in a hurry, without time to relax. They are dynamics that fit well with what the prepared food sections of Mercadona or other chains offer, such as Alcampo, Carrefour or Lidland they give them a clear competitive advantage compared to traditional restaurants. As if that were not enough, our way of eating seems to be simplifying little by little: the occasions in which we have lunch with a single dish have increased about 5.5% since 2020. If we talk about dinners, that percentage is 3.3%. Is it that important? Yes a lot. So much so, in fact, that what is catapulting the sale of prepared dishes is not their greater or lesser attractiveness, the variety of the offering or their healthy appearance. When Worldpanel technicians asked customers what was the deciding factor that led them to buy convenience food instead of going to a bar or restaurant, about a third (28.4%) responded that the price. That is the factor that most often tips the balance on the side of Mercadona and other similar supermarket chains. The second is convenience. 13.4% stated that what they value most is speed, 10.4% the possibility of taking advantage of visits to the supermarket to make other purchases and 10.1% the flexibility of being able to consume food when and where it suits them best. That last piece of information is key. Although in recent years several chains of supermarkets have begun to enable spaces in their premises so that people can eat there, most of the customers take the dishes home. It occurs in 78% of cases. If we talk about large consumption in general (not just food) the percentage of intra-domestic spending is around 71%. Image | Carrefour In Xataka | Madrid is encountering a growing problem in its metro stations: the illegal sale of street food

We believed that eating with our cell phone in our hand was harmless. Science warns that it is “hacking” our satiety

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Today, a fairly everyday scene is to see how, at meal time, in addition to the plate on the table, there is also the illuminated mobile screen is next to it while playing a TikTok video or an Instagram reel. The habit of eating by doing scroll on social networks, reading news or answering messages has become normalized to the point of becoming invisible. However, scientific literature has been warning for years that this disconnection between the plate and the brain has measurable consequences. The hijacking of satiety. The fact of eating while looking at the mobile screen makes us eat much worse, and this is what is known in the literature as mindless eating, which can be translated as “eating unconsciously.” Something that makes a lot of sense because when we are looking at something that interests us, we don’t even realize what we are putting in our mouths, going into automatic mode. And this is very important, because science is quite clear that the fact of feeling full of food is not something that depends only on the gastric process, but also involves our consciousness. In this way, when we eat while paying attention to something else, we damage the episodic memory of food. in the brain there is no adequate record of the textures, flavors or amount of food that has been put in the mouth. As a result of this “food amnesia”, the signals that indicate that the stomach has become full and that one should stop eating more become blurred. This causes us to eat more at that moment, and also, since we do not have a solid memory of having been full, we tend to eat more calories at lunch or snack. The data. This lack of active attention during eating can be extrapolated to specific figures, and something that has been repeated a lot is that cell phone use can increase caloric intake by 30%. Although this is an extreme limit derived from the sum of several disconnection factors, since studies point to somewhat lower figures. a study published in 2019 showed that eating with a mobile phone increases caloric intake by around 15% compared to people who are completely aware of their food. Furthermore, we do not eat more of everything but rather the nutritional profile worsens by tending towards a noticeably higher intake of fats. In the long term, we have a studio published in 2025 by Kyoto University where regular cell phone use during meals was associated with more marked weight gain in adults. But in the case of adolescents, it is associated with a greater consumption of sugary drinks and a higher BMI attributed to multitasking with the mobile phone. That is why it is best to always eat without any type of distraction that diverts attention from the task at hand, because otherwise there are several risks to our own health. Images | drobotdean in Magnific In Xataka | Eating in front of a screen is not a modern mania: it is the new social ritual

There is a Chinese manufacturer eating the entire electric motorcycle pie. And his next goal is Europe

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The increase of fuel prices caused by the iran war It is being the perfect excuse for one of the most relevant electric motorcycle manufacturers in China to focus away from its territory. Given the growing demand for economical and electric motorcycles outside Asia, the focus is clear: Europe. Yadea. Yadea is, by sales volume, the world’s largest manufacturer of scooters and electric two-wheeled vehicles. Its success is given by the very high demand for this type of motorbikes both in China and in Southeast Asia and South America. And now it’s time to conquer Europe. Since the conflict with Iran raised oil prices and created obstacles to its transit, international sales of Yadea They are growing at a rate of 70% year-on-year compared to 2025. The new. Yadea is not a new player in Europe. They have been present in Spain since 2022, distributing affordable mopeds and electric motorcycles. A discreet operation that wants to begin to consolidate and grow starting this year. Yadea is closing the opening of a factory in Hungary to produce within the European Union and protect itself from tariff tightening. It is not a new practice: China is starting to manufacture in Europe to make their products competitive, and the electric motorcycle is no exception. Why it is important. Of the almost 60 million electric scooters sold in China, 16 million correspond to Yadea. If there is a manufacturer with enough muscle and knowledge to flood Europe with two-wheeled vehicles at an affordable price, it is this one. Why now. Wang Jiazhong, vice president of Yadea, has made it clear in his statements that the current situation is the best possible opportunity to begin expanding into more markets. “The situation in the Middle East presents a good opportunity for us to enter the market and guide consumers towards the use of our electric vehicles, as they can clearly feel how much fuel prices have increased.” Not so fast. Europe is a peculiar and complicated market for electric two wheels. It represents around 9% of global volumes and is skewed towards premium models. It is not a volume market like Asia, at least today. Quite the opposite happens with the combustion motorcycle: China is sweeping and soon the top 3 best-selling motorcycles will be led by Chinese motorcycles. Therefore, the company is exploring joint ventures and collaborations with local companies to adapt their offer culturally and aesthetically. What giants like NIU, Super Soco or Silence have not achieved (example of the resounding failure of the electric motorcycle in Spain, with the SEAT MO), Yadea wants to achieve it. In Xataka | Spain loves one thing: cheap motorcycles. Europe doesn’t like something else: cheap motorcycles.

Nvidia and Samsung are the names of AI. Quietly, someone is eating up the server processor market

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Artificial intelligence is about to enter a new era. After plunder the internet and drink all human knowledgetraining is no longer the obsession of the big AI companies and the inference is about to take the baton. That inference will reach its climax with the explosion of AI agents and that implies a change in balance: GPUs will continue to be key, but CPUs will take on a greater role. Inference requires other types of resources other than training and that is why Nvidia is preparing with its platform Vera Rubinbut also the rest of the industry. Intel has already said that is moving its production lines towards the Xeon, the server processors, while ARM It is seeing green numbers because a few months ago it presented a powerful processor for AI. The one that is also seeing the ‘stonks’ grow is AMD. Although its name sounds less than that of Nvidia, AMD is very present in the AI ​​race. It has secured the best memory for its new platform, it has a GPU for training and also the processors EPYC for servers. These are precisely the ones that are giving you joy. AMD EPYCo record According to analysts Mercury Researchboth ARM and AMD have had a spectacular quarter. Both have continued to eat market share from Intel (which is why it seeks to respond) and, in the case of AMD, in the first quarter of this year they have reached a record 46.2% revenue share in x86 CPUs for servers and 30% of the CPU segment. Here are two numbers to keep in mind. The first is that AMD was already coming from a fairly comfortable position, with a 41.3% revenue share in servers in the last quarter of 2025. Thus, it seems that this growth to 46.2% is not too big, but the second number that must be taken into account is the one that allows us to see the company’s leap in this segment. It is estimated that the company It had only between 1% and 2% CPU share for servers in 2018. Since then, AMD has been doing things very well both in consumer computers with their Ryzen as in servers with its EPYC, which has allowed it to eat Intel’s share by leaps and bounds. And just as important as the quota are the company’s results, not because they interest us in terms of money, but because it gives us an idea (just like what is happening with Nvidia, SamsungSK Hynix or Micron) of how far we are from being able to see competitive prices again in the consumer market. Because it is estimated that this part of the business focused on data centers left 5.8 billion dollars in AMD, an increase of 57% year-on-year. It surpasses Intel (5.1 billion), being the first time this has happened in the data center sector and, in addition, AMD projects a growth of more than 70% year-on-year in the data center segment. In this particular battle, we have already commented that Intel is not sitting idle and has new processors for data centers, a great projection being the great american foundry and we will have to wait to see the efforts to reconvert their production lines to return to the Xeon. What is evident, according to estimates, is that the server processor market is experiencing an impressive increase due to this new generation of AI and is wait that goes beyond 30,000 million in 2025 up to 170 billion dollars by 2030. Landing this for us, the users, this implies one thing: if it was already expensive to build a PC due to RAM and SSDnow other components such as processors or motherboardswho are also reorienting the business. In Xataka | The US confesses its worst nightmare: if China invades Taiwan and controls TSMC, the US economy will collapse

The problem with eating chocolate at 11 at night is not the calories, it is what it does to your sleep

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There are people who follow authentic rituals before going to sleep, such as a good shower to release all the tension of the day, but also take a little black chocolate so you can sweeten your mouth before going to sleep. A practice that for many is something that is an aberration, but to know if it is really a bad idea to do it, we have to turn to science and the studies that exist about chocolate. A principle against. For the detractors of nighttime chocolate, the enemy is not sugar as such, but the chocolate itself and how rich it is in the methylxanthineswhich are alkaloids that stimulate the central nervous system. And here are two that stand out above others, such as the caffeinewhich is quite well known, and theobromine, which is the main stimulant in dark chocolate. Here the scientific reviews they point that these substances act by blocking the receptors where adenosine binds to act. And it is no wonder, because adenosine is the molecule that it accumulates in our brain throughout the day to generate “sleep pressure.” But if methylxanthines block the point where they have to bind to act, the brain does not receive the signal that it is tired. Your problem. Although it is true that theobromine is “milder” than caffeine, its half-life in the body is long. This means that that 11pm chocolate could still be blocking your desire to sleep at 2am, increasing sleep latency and causing more nighttime awakenings. The importance of time. Science has now stopped looking only at calories to focus on chrononutrition, since it is suggested that chocolate influences circadian rhythms depending on the time at which it is taken. Here the studies they point Because chocolate can be a great ally to resynchronize the biological clock if it is consumed during the active phase in the morning, but taking it outside of this phase, when the body is preparing for rest, makes it difficult to synchronize our peripheral clocks. In short, we are sending contradictory signals to the body. Not everything is negative. In science there are not only extremes, but we can find a great spectrum of grays in the middle. This is because there is also evidence that qualifies the message that chocolate causes insomnia, because in animal models cocoa can improve certain sleep disorders induced by chronic stress. This suggests that, in high-stress contexts, the antioxidant and neuroprotective components of cocoa could help adjust the sleep-wake rhythm. However, researchers warn that this benefit is observed when cocoa is part of the general diet, not necessarily when it is consumed as a “bomb” of sugar and stimulants just before turning off the light. It is not universal. The effect of chocolate does not occur in everyone in the same way, meaning that each person can experience it differently, depending on the amount of chocolate consumed and also on sensitization. We must keep in mind that each person metabolizes at a different rate, so there will be people who can eat a lot of chocolate and these molecules will not affect them at all. Images | freepik In Xataka | Something strange is happening with the chocolate crisis in Spain: households consume less, but business improves

Our way of eating is experiencing a silent revolution that is already noticeable in the industry: “snackification”

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New times, new ways to eat. There was a time (not that long ago actually) when the concept “pecking” almost had a negative overtone. A “snack” was the concession that one made between breakfast and lunch or shortly before dinner to indulge in a culinary treat, something that was done exceptionally or knowing that it was not convenient for them. That is changing. As our habits transform, so does the way we organize our diet and how we understand snacks. It is no longer about eating snacks at the wrong time, but rather about considering the meals of the day in a different way. The shift is so clear that there are those who are already talking about snackfication. How many times do you eat a day? That question probably sounds like a platitude to many people. Three. Maybe five if we count the snack and a mid-morning sandwich, right? In 2015, the Center for Sociological Research (CIS) was interested in that same question (how many meals did Spaniards usually eat on a weekday) and discovered that, on average, we were around 3.57 intakes. To be more precise, half of those surveyed (50.4%) recognized three meals a day and another 26.1% extended it to four. Only 17.7% ate five or more meals, a figure in tune with that calculated by the Nestlé Observatory. Is it a still photo? No. As our way of life changes, so do traditional eating patterns that led us to limit ourselves to breakfast, lunch and lunch, adding (perhaps) a mid-morning snack and an afternoon snack. I explained it recently Expansion: instead of three blocks of meals we move to a more distributed intake made up of small quantities. More intakes, smaller portions. Why is it important? The phenomenon goes beyond simple “pecking” for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that these meals replace traditional meals (dinner, for example). Another key is that “pecking” or snack loses its negative nuance. It’s not about indulging in pastries and chips. The phenomenon is accompanied by a growing interest in healthy snacks. Manufacturers know this and often promote them by appealing to their functionality rather than the stomach. Is there data to support it? Yes. The first one is left by the International Food Information Council (IFIC), a Washington, DC-based organization focused on nutrition and food security. Their studies in the US reflect a clear tendency to replace central meals of the day with snacks. If in 2020 38% of those surveyed admitted this change towards smaller intakes, in 2024 they already represented 56%. The last indicator, from 2025, stands at 62%. Most do it occasionally, but the curve is revealing. Does the study say anything else? He notes that “for most Americans” snack consumption is already part of their “daily ritual.” “In 2025, 70% say they eat them at least once a day, which represents a decrease compared to 73% in 2024, but also the fourth consecutive year in which daily consumption of snacks exceeds 70%,” remember the reportwhich details that 12% of those who ‘sting’ daily do so at least three times. “Americans are replacing traditional meals with snacks and lighter meals, a change that continues to gain strength. In 2020, 38% reported having replaced meals with snacks or light foods. In 2024 that figure increased to 56% and in 2025 it stood at 62%,” points out the IFIC. The phenomenon is so clear that Food Navigator either BBC they talk about snackification. Is there data from Spain? We handle tracks. Although they do not address the topic directly and require combining several sources, they must be handled with some caution. In 2004 the INE published a report in which it stated that 58.4% of the population I used to eat three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner), a percentage that shot up to 72% among those over 65 years of age. In 2022 Mapfre addressed that same issue again and found that on working days 38.7% We Spaniards eat three meals. Not only is this data lower than that published by the INE in 2004. It is also below the sum of those who eat four (29.9%) or five meals (23.2%). The photo changes on holidays, although there are still more people who eat four or five times. Graphic from the report “Food in post-pandemic 21st century society: food decision”, by Fundación Mapfre. What is it due to? There are many factors at play, such as recognize the consulting firm Circana, which breaks down a few when trying to explain the behavior of American households. One (fundamental) is that we eat more snacks and fewer leisurely meals for a simple matter of comfort. “Consumers are increasingly looking for ways to save time preparing meals,” highlights the firm, recalling that snacks are even gaining weight in main meals. It makes sense if we take into account that there are millions of people who almost never take a frying pan or saucepan to cook and every time we buy more dishes already prepared. Curiously, those who consume the most snacks (at least in the US) are not teenagers, but members of Generation 21% of consumption at home. The list also highlights the millennialswith 15% of the pie. When surveying the market, the firm found that the snacks that were most successful were the sweet and salty ones, not the healthy ones. Are there more factors? Yes. Cultural and dietary changes, changes in homes (some, like Juan Roig, believe that domestic kitchens are doomed), changes when shopping… Some analysts even slide the influence of the new weight loss drugs (GLP-1) and how they influence patients who consume increasingly smaller portions. What seems undeniable is that these changes in our diet are having an impact on the forecasts of companies dedicated to the production of snacks. Food Navigator assures that in 2025 the value of the global market of the snack industry will exceed 269 ​​billion of dollars and the forecast is that it will grow … Read more

why drinking water while eating doesn’t ruin your gastric juices

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In the era of TikTok and short videos that provide us with information very quickly, nutritional advice spreads like wildfire. One of the last is related to how bad it is to consume water while eating food, since this can “dilute” stomach acid and worsen digestion. The problem is that science is not at all clear that this really happens, and even very important societies of experts They have denied their relationship. How the stomach works. To understand why this is not the case, you first have to know how digestion works. A priori, those who defend that water worsens digestion argue that the liquid “washes” the gastric juices and causes a decrease in stomach acidity that prevents enzymes such as pepsin (which breaks down proteins) do their job, because they need reduced acidity. But the reality is very different, since your stomach is really ‘intelligent’ and has a complex regulatory system that allows it to secrete hydrochloric acid in a dynamic way. In this way, if food enters or the pH becomes more alkaline, the digestive system detects it and automatically compensates, secreting more acid through a quite complex hormonal pathway that involves several cells in the walls of our stomach. The real impact. In this way, drinking a little water, like a glass, while eating barely raises the gastric pH (makes it more basic) for about 3 minutes, as science has pointed out. After this time, the stomach resumes its normal acidity and does not affect overall digestion. Something to keep in mind in this case is that both liquids and solids do not compete in the same way in the stomach, since water passes quickly through it, while solid foods can spend hours ‘kneading’ in the gastric juices to decompose into all their most basic elements. This way, the prestigious Mayo clinic points out that water during or after meals does not cause digestion problems or dilute digestive fluids in a problematic way, but rather facilitates them. It has benefits. Far from being the enemy of good digestion, water plays a role a fundamental role in which this is carried out efficiently. One of these effects is precisely the role that water has when it comes to acting together with acids and enzymes to soften food and facilitate the creation of chyme, which is the mass into which food is converted in the stomach. In addition, it helps dissolve certain parts of food so that the nutrient is more accessible upon arrival in the intestine and is vital for hydrating the soluble and insoluble fiber that we ingest. In this way, avoiding water with meals can lead to temporary dehydration of the bolus, worsening intestinal transit. There are exceptions. As always, the rule is not universal, but there are people who may be advised not to drink water while eating. one of these exceptions It is in people who have esophagogastric reflux or GERD, where the specialist can recommend less water consumption with meals to avoid the increase in pressure in the stomach that could trigger this reflux. Images | Olena engin akyurt In Xataka | Fibermaxxing sounds like just another internet hype. But it’s just what doctors recommend.

the dangerous TikTok trend of chewing food with plastic that camouflages an eating disorder

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Eating something that we love very much, but without adding a single calorie to the diet, seems like something that resembles a true miracle, but the reality is that in China social networks are being flooded with a method that promises this. And we are not dealing with something revolutionary to trick the brain, but rather eating food wrapped in plastic. Something that has been baptized like ‘plastic eating’ as El País has reported. How it started. This trend has been with us for a short time, and the origin is in Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. Here the videos showed young people placing a piece of plastic wrap over your mouth or wrapping food in plastic and then chewing and spitting it out. The goal here is to taste high-calorie foods without swallowing them so as not to gain weight. Extended. The algorithm worked its usual magic, and the trend has quickly spread to other countries, even reaching TikTok, where this new challenge has been replicated. And when you start with this trigger in a new population, logically you have to take into account the risks of replicating it and turning it into something viral. Especially focused on adolescents, who may be more vulnerable in these situations. Its consequence. Beyond how bizarre it is to put plastic in your mouth to enjoy the flavor, but not have the effect of the calories, the more immediate physical damage must be considered. One of the most striking, related to repeatedly chewing a packaging that has not been designed for human consumption, carries a very high risk of suffocation and also dental damage. But we must not forget that we are chewing plastic here, so there is a risk of ingesting toxins. Different medical and scientific sources warn that these practices can expose us to the consumption of microplastics, which we have already been able to talk a lot about, as they are present in some important organs such as the placenta or testicles. Something that little by little is being related to hormonal disruption. Psychological risks. Without a doubt, it is another of the most important risks that we must take into account here, since what the networks sell as a trick to reduce the cravings we have throughout the day, is actually a classic symptom of eating disorders or eating disorders. In the clinical setting, it is known as ‘chewing and spitting’, which is a very common compensatory behavior in the diagnosis of anorexia and bulimia. It is not a new idea, since the iconic designer Karl Lagerfeld popularized and defended publicly this technique years ago after losing between 30 and 40 kilos. However, science denies that it has real benefits, since different studies suggest that when we chew food, the body prepares for digestion and increases the levels of ghrelin, which is the hunger hormone. But in reality, by not receiving food, hunger and anxiety are triggered, causing a severe loss of control, metabolic alterations and malnutrition. Social networks. The proliferation of these types of trends puts the role of social networks in the mental health of young people back on the table. Scientific data provided by recent studies indicate, for example, that exposure to content that promotes anorexia on TikTok significantly decreases body satisfaction in a matter of minutes, increasing the internalization of “thin ideals.” It has also been proven that 73% of young users with moderate or high risk of suffering from an ED show symptoms directly related to their interaction on TikTok. Images | Clown World In Xataka | We believed that extreme thinness was a fashion that had happily been overcome. What is happening on networks contradicts us

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