Scientists from Aarhus University found that eating chili, menthol, and rapeseed oil could benefit people who suffer from smell problems.
The study also showed that 39% of patients with severe smell disorders have a big risk of unwanted weight loss, which can negatively impact their health.
The research was published in the journal Foods and was conducted by Alexander Wieck Fjældstad et al.
Smell plays a key role in our ability to enjoy food. However, many people suffer from a lost, impaired, or distorted sense of smell, and this can affect both their health and quality of life.
Previous studies have also shown that the loss or distortion of the sense of smell can have consequences ranging from social insecurity and an increased risk of depressive symptoms to an increased risk of household accidents.
In the study, the team examined a total of 692 people who answered a questionnaire about cooking, smell, weight changes, and sensory awareness for the study.
271 had lost or had a reduced sense of smell (olfactory dysfunction), 251 had a distorted sense of smell (parosmia) and 166 were part of a control group.
The team found that patients with a distorted sense of smell differ from the control group both with regard to food preferences and the ability and desire to cook.
They also showed how foods with different basic tastes, textures, and mouthfeels could increase a patient’s enjoyment.
When a food smell is released in the oral cavity, it is not intercepted by the smell receptors in the nose, it is possible to compensate by focusing on other sensory inputs.
In other words, the other senses can enhance the experience of eating so the patient gains greater food satisfaction, a better multisensory food experience, and improved quality of life.
The team mentions dried fruits, chili, menthol, and rapeseed oil as good food options for patients who have a distorted sense of smell and taste.
When eating these foods, the mouthfeel helps provide sensory stimuli when the sense of smell fails.
Patients with a distorted sense of smell, in particular, should avoid coffee, mushrooms, butter, ginger, black pepper, and toasted bread, as these foods generally provide significantly less pleasure.
This is due to a combination of a higher incidence of distorted smell detection and the fact that some of these foods strongly stimulate the other chemical senses, which becomes unpleasant when the aroma is not present.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about 7 best foods to reduce anxiety, and this common food could increase the risk of dangerous bowel diseases.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about a big cause of irritable bowel syndrome, and results showing this food may worsen inflammatory bowel diseases.
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