Illustration: Luo Xuan/GT

Nothing makes me feel better after a tiring day of work than sitting down, pulling out my smartphone and swiping my way through beautiful, provocative pictures of food on Instagram.

I follow tons of "food porn" accounts on social media. I love photos of well prepared food, video clips of dishes being cooked, and TV shows, documentaries and movies about food.

And I'll admit it - there's something addictive about looking at all those close-up shots of raw ingredients coming together and getting a sneak peak into your food's juicy, steamy insides.

Eating is something that you should enjoy using all of your senses, and modern people have definitely gotten the hang of the visual aspect, as demonstrated by the popularity of documentary TV series like A Bite of China (2012) and Japan's Shinya Shokudo (or "midnight diner," 2009), both of which rank at the top of Chinese video streaming websites.

It's only natural that we should want to make something that is so central in our lives as beautiful as possible.

When I watch shows like this and I see caramel dripping down the edge of a pot, sliced truffles presented on an antique porcelain plate, or just a simple hotdog bouncing in slow motion as it lands in its bun, I become aroused in a way that is different from sex but also somewhat similar.

It brings to mind the Chinese saying, "The pursuit of both food and sex is part of human nature."

It recently made me realize that food porn and actual pornography share a fair bit in common. Here are some of the biggest similarities that I've found:

1. Both require good lighting, good sound effects and good action. Nothing brings to life the allure of food like sauce glistening in the light, the sound of meat sizzling in a pan, or the sight of a skilled chef using his wrist to deftly flip a pancake. All of it contributes to the enjoyment and attractiveness of food.

2. Both use much more oil or grease than you would usually use in real life to make it look more attractive. In this way, they both zoom in on the presentation of the topic, distracting the viewer from the actual pleasure of the act, and instead celebrating the idea of the subject over its reality.

3. In the same way you might get sick of missionary position and crave a little Kama Sutra sex, many people get tired of their everyday hefan (lunch box) and want something more interesting. Both lead you to seek a bit of excitement online.

4. Both are what some people choose to watch while they are actually eating or having sex in real life.

5. Porn sex isn't real sex and TV food isn't real food. When things are designed to look good on camera, the quality is compromised and won't be as enjoyable in real life.

6. Watching both kinds of porn makes you feel ashamed about your own equipment and wish for better kitchen utensils… or whatever. 

7. Unprofessional, homemade ones are often awkward to watch.

8. Too much of either one isn't healthy.

This article was published on the Global Times Metropolitan section Two Cents page, a space for reader submissions, including opinion, humor and satire. The ideas expressed are those of the author alone, and do not represent the position of the Global Times.