By Irada Yunusova
People often consider the importance of taste and portions for their food, but how about the utensils they use? A new study has found that the utensils we use also affect our diet, by influencing the taste of food and how filling it seems. This could be where the saying, "We eat with our eyes," comes from.
In a new study in the journal Flavour, researchers studied spoons, forks, and knives and varied different aspects of the utensils to see how it would affect individuals' perception of food. They found that when food is eaten off of a lighter-weight utensil, it feels more filling. For example, yogurt off of a plastic spoon tastes more filling than yogurt off of a metal spoon. Additionally when utensils and food contents have less color contrast, the food tastes sweeter. White yogurt in a white spoon actually tastes sweeter than pink yogurt in a white spoon! It's not only what we eat, but how we eat it that affects our diets!
Eating food is an interaction of multiple senses; it is an experience of taste, texture, scent, and sight. The researchers of the study explain, "Even before we put food into our mouths our brains have made a judgement about it, which affects our overall experience." How something appears has a clear impact on how we experience it. The silver ware, platters, and packaging used to serve food affects how pleasant the food tastes and how much individuals eat.
References: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162-57591092/utensils-can-influence-food-taste-how-much-you-eat-study-finds/
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