According to the experts, the recipe for a genuine state of bliss is the aroma of strawberries and grass, with a little sand thrown in for added texture!
Strawberries are the fruit of “happiness” according Professor Barry Smith – Director of Philosophy at the University of London: ‘When you ask people which fruit makes them happiest, the strawberry is the one most people pick. Strawberries are associated with good, happy memories. And when you ask people what other associations go with these memories, the most popular are cut grass and summer.’
Your sense of smell is a very powerful trigger for mood. For me the smell of hyacinths in the crisp February morning is delightful, the brush of lavender as you unpack the shopping from the car, or the smell of crisp freshly laundered linen is a heavenly treat on a Friday night. Many foods and fragrances act like a trigger to my life experiences to bring memories flooding back. I remember the times we made a huge pile of chapatti’s in my grandmothers kitchen in the searing heat. I think smell and its role in food memories is hugely important, we tend to relate our memory of smell to a particular time, place or experience. When you get a whiff that familiar it transports you back to your grandmother’s kitchen!
If you need any evidence of how evocative smells can be, remember estate agents swear by the power of baking bread and fresh coffee when you’re trying to sell your house. Alternatively visit the candle and room fragrance counter of any department store and you’ll be inundated with the variety of food fragrances available in a wax form or scented oil.
As far as I am concerned, mood and food are definitely two sides of the same coin!
Kumud Gandhi is a Nutritional Food Scientist bestselling Author, Broadcaster, and Keynote Speaker on the subject of nutritional health for productivity & performance in the workplace. In 2010 Kumud founded ‘The Cooking Academy’ a cookery school that focusses on cooking for nutritional health and wellbeing. Kumud regularly presents to international audiences on a variety of topics such as ‘Eating for Immunity and a Lifetime of Wellness’. She is an expert in the field of Wellness in the Workplace and works with organizations to create transformational change in employee health & well-being through nutrition and health coaching.
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