LIVE: Brown’s Herz Explains “Why You Eat What You Eat”

LIVE: Brown’s Herz Explains “Why You Eat What You Eat”

Smell is one of the most taken for granted senses, says Dr. Rachel Herz, a researcher at Brown and leading expert on the science of smell.

Herz’s new book, “Why You Eat What You Eat,” delves into how smell affects how we perceive and enjoy food.

“Taste is pretty much entirely comprised of smell,” Herz said on GoLocal LIVE. “Aside from the basics: sweet, sour, bitter, and salt, everything else comes from the scent.”

Herz used bacon as an example of smell’s important role in taste. Aside from the salty taste of the meat, everything else that makes bacon, bacon: the smell, the nuances of flavor, comes from its smell.

In addition, smells can have an emotional connection to our perception. Herz says that emotional responses of disgust are nearly identical to that of a bitter taste.

Smells also play an important role in memories, both in triggering old memories and forming new ones. Using a specific scent while studying for a test, for example, can help trigger the memories the next day by smelling it again on the day of the test.

“Why You Eat What You Eat” is Herz’s third book discussing her research and is available for purchase wherever books are sold.