How does music relate to your plate of food? 🍽️ 🍞

"Mmmm, how delicious this food tastes with this cozy music playing in the background!" And yes, you've probably thought or said it. Well, according to a CBBC Group article, neurogastronomy reveals that music not only sets the mood for your meal, but literally changes how you perceive flavors. Upbeat, fast-paced songs, like salsa, Puerto Rican bomba, or Brazilian samba, can make sweet or savory flavors pop more, while melodies with softer edges, like smooth jazz or bolero, enhance bitterness or creaminess. Oxford University backs this up: a study showed that high frequencies enhance desserts, and low frequencies make coffee taste more intense. So, if your pasta makes you "play violins in your mind," it's your brain seasoning it with every note.

Time to a romantic date 🍷

Add to that, rhythm also plays a role in your appetite and your experience at the table. CBBC Group explains that music influences the atmosphere and even how much you eat. I'll tell you: fast tempos make you chew faster, while slow tempos invite you to savor your dish more. Imagine a brunch with friends: an upbeat playlist has you attacking the pancakes, but reggae fusion makes you enjoy every bite of avocado. Charles Spence, an expert in sensory neuroscience, says that sound modulates taste buds by altering our emotions, meaning a romantic ballad paired with dark chocolate and a glass of red wine could be love at first listen. In short, music not only accompanies your food, but it can be the secret ingredient that gives your dish that exquisite flavor.

Reference:

• CBBC Group. (n.d.). Neurogastronomy: The influence of music on the flavor of food. https://cbbcgroup.com/en/neurogastronomia-la-influencia-de-la-musica-en-el-sabor-de-la-comida/

• Spence, C. (2015). Eating with our ears: Assessing the importance of the sounds of consumption on our perception and enjoyment of multisensory flavor experiences. Flavour, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.1186/2044-7248-4-3