Just a whiff of fried food can tempt you to order a high-calorie meal. But inhale it for more than two minutes, and you will be more satisfied with fruit. A new study has found that surrounding the smell of food can instantly satisfy the tummy. That's because the brain doesn't necessarily differentiate the source of sensory pleasure.
"Ambient odor can be a powerful tool for resisting self-indulgence cravings," says the study's lead author. “In fact, subtle sensory stimuli such as smells may be more effective in influencing food choices for children and adults than restrictive policies.”
The researcher discovered a direct link between the length of exposure time and whether or not a person would indulge in it. He conducted a series of tests using an unobtrusive nebulizer, which separately diffused the odor of healthy and unhealthy food products. (biscuits versus strawberries, pizza versus apples)
He found that participants who were exposed to the smell of cookies for less than 30 seconds were more likely to want a cookie. But those exposed for more than two minutes found that cookie undesirable and took strawberries instead. He had the same results when the smell of pizza and apples was tested.
Since non-self-indulgent foods don't give off much of an ambient air, they aren't usually connected to reward, so they have little impact on what we order.
