“Crunchy carrots with fresh herb dips” or “Spicy fried zucchini slices with garlic”.
This not only sounds delicious, this kind of taste description can also help to a healthier diet, if one thinks at the time of purchase, or during the preparation of these descriptions.
This is the result of psychologists of Stanford University in California, after they had explored methods by which a healthy diet in everyday life are promoted and made more attractive can be.
On the positive taste experience focus
“This is a radical difference to our current approach to healthy eating that focuses on the health and the taste neglected,” explains the author of the study, Alia Crum, in a press release.
The basic idea is simple: Instead of the emphasis on the health effect due to the nutritional value tables, the description of the meals at the delicious taste and thus, the positive experience of the food focus.
This means that at the time of purchase, as well as during the preparation of food, you should call the delicious descriptions in memory, and so the appetite for spinach, green cabbage and co. to awaken.
What kind of descriptions makes the mouth to water, as determined by the researchers using the dining cards of well-known Restaurants. From the found adjectives, they developed a type System for the designation of healthy dishes with vegetables.
The designations focus on the aromas and flavors in vegetarian dishes. Also, words that arouse the expectation of a positive taste experience, were among them.
It sounds delicious, wanders more vegetables on the plate
Already at the beginning of the research three years ago that the positive descriptions of the meals made the test people more frequently and to eat more vegetables.
The latest study, which appeared in the journal ‘journal’, reviewed the then-identified insights to approximately 60 Colleges and universities.
In the Refectories of these scientific institutions, the subjects met for a total of thousands of decisions in respect of over 70 different dishes.
These had either a neutral name, or additional information was given in relation to the health or the taste.
Descriptions must be accurate
The result of the study shows clearly: The subjects selected to be 29 percent more likely to have a vegetable dish, if this had a name, what exactly is the flavor of the ingredients is on pause.
Thus, the attractive description was far more effective than calorie and nutritional information that, in many cases, a more deterrent effect.
In addition, this a positive description, not only ensured that the students ordered more vegetable dishes, finally, were eaten, the servings more frequently, and thus less food thrown away.
To miss out on the courts in an arbitrary name, it will not work. The food does not need to hear only delicious, it also needs to taste good.
Photo gallery: the 10 Basics of a healthy diet
Expectations of the court are increased
Such a taste-oriented designation of acting according to the researchers so effective, as it increases the expectations on a positive taste experience.
Fresh and tasteful ingredients or preparation methods are described, contributes this to the fact that the brain imagines the sense of taste and the anticipation of this food increases.
Requirement: The description must specifically be. Sub-words such as “super tasty” or “damn delicious”, can’t imagine the brain is really something.
Because it must mean: “Spicy peppers with fresh herbs, or Crisp lettuce with mild garden herbs.”
Both at home and in the Restaurant apply
In addition to private individuals, of course, also Restaurants, Cafeterias and canteens can benefit from this knowledge.
Who responds in the descriptions of healthy foods to all the senses, can convince the customer with a greater likelihood of a court.
A corresponding menu is under warranty, the mouth water and whets the appetite for healthy cuisine.
Sources
- Turn forest, B., et al. (2019): Increasing Vegetable Intake by Emphasizing Tasty and Enjoyable Attributes: A Randomized Controlled Multisite Intervention for button-Focused Labeling, archived from the original on 30.10.2019 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797619872191?journalCode=pssa
- Stanford University (2019): Stanford psychologists show leading with flavor encourages healthy eating, retrieved on 30.10.2019 https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-10/su-sps100319.php
Cornelia Bertram
*The post “The Name is program: scientists discover simple Trick to eat healthier” is published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.