The Stronger the Smell Of Food, The Smaller The Bite Size, Research Finds

Dutch research finds a correlation between the size of a bite of food and the strength of the aroma of that food, suggesting that aroma could provide a way to control portion size. Manipulating the odor of food could lead to a five to 10 percent decrease in the size of a bite consumed. For the study, participants were able to control portions of a custard-like dessert by pushing a button. Bite size was linked to aroma for the first and subsequent bites: the stronger the smell, the smaller the bite.