Smelling Food for a Few Minutes Can Satisfy Cravings

A new study revealed that smelling scents of indulgent food can help satiate people’s food cravings. University of South Florida researchers examined how ambient scents, which are often used as a marketing tool to persuade people to buy products, affect people’s food choices. To determine how scents influence people’s food purchasing decisions, the research team conducted experiments in places like a middle school cafeteria and a supermarket. In the experiments, the participants were exposed to scents of both indulgent and healthy food. Those in the school cafeteria were exposed to pizza and apple scents, while those in the supermarket smelled cookie and strawberry scents. Results revealed that participants bought fewer unhealthy meals when they were exposed to scents of indulgent food, such as pizza, for more than two minutes. Similarly, in the supermarket experiment, shoppers picked healthier food selections after smelling cookies as opposed to when they smelled strawberries. The researchers therefore concluded that extended exposure to scents of indulgent food lowered the participants’ preference for unhealthy food. They hypothesized that smelling these scents for over two minutes activates pleasure in the brain’s reward center. As a result, there is reduced craving for indulgent food. Essentially, without actually eating, smelling indulgent food for a longer time could help people fight their cravings. Aisling Pigott [ASH-ling PIH-gut], a dietitian not involved in the study, commended the research. However, she suggested that it should be conducted in different environments to prove a stronger link between scents and food cravings. While the researchers recognized the limitations of the study, they hope that it can lead to further research on the matter.