Why food always tastes better on holiday, according to expert

THERE is nothing better than a glass of wine and fancy meal when on holiday abroad.

But experts have revealed why food always tastes better on holiday – and might not be the same back home.

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Prof.  Spence, leading gastrophysicist from the University of Oxford explained why this was.

He said: “It relates to the fact that food and drink seem to taste so much better when we are on holiday, whether this is with our family in the Mediterranean, or travelling solo with the sun on our backs.

“So nice in fact, that we are even tempted to buy a few bottles of that same holiday wine, to bring back home and share on a cold winter’s evening.

“Only it never tastes the same; it is disappointing somehow.”

He continued: “The reason is that when we are on holiday, we are likely to be relaxed and in a better mood, and food simply tastes better when we are in a better mood.”

“Research shows that being close to and viewing the blues of water has a beneficial effect on our social, cognitive, and emotional well-being.”

Joining with Cunard, he also explained why something like chocolate may taste better when near the sea, especially on a cruise ship.

He continued: “Looking out on the sea while simultaneously smelling and hearing the ocean, is all likely to prime saltiness, leading to a more cognitive form of taste enhancement.

“In an experiment I conducted with a leading chef a few years ago, we were able to show that hearing the sounds of the sea made seafood taste better, so why not chocolate as well?”

Taste is affected while on a plane too – and not always for the better.

The air in the plane cabin is extremely dry, which can affect your taste buds and nose.

When your nose dries out on a plane and then you eat the inflight meal, your food won’t taste as good.

And low cabin pressure decreases the levels of oxygen in your blood, which makes your body less sensitive to smells.

It’s estimated our perception of saltiness and sweetness drops by around 30 percent.

If you want food to taste better, you can try  wearing noise-cancelling headphones as the noise of the engine noise could also affect it.

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