#83 Why You Eat What You Eat | Rachel Herz, Ph.D.

Among the needs all 7 billion of us on the planet have in common is our need to eat. Food allows us to survive, thrive, and it can bring immense pleasure.  However, how things taste and what we like is unique to us all. But despite our uniqueness, there are certain trends.  For example, we order tomato juice on airplanes at a far greater frequency than we do on land. Why is that?  And have you ever noticed you can have an entirely different experience of taste depending on how a food or drink is presented, where they're consumed, the type of music that’s playing in the background, and even based upon the color of the plate it’s served on?

These will all be addressed on this episode.

Dr. Rachel Herz (https://www.rachelherz.com) is a neuroscientist, a professor at Brown University, and a world-leading expert on the psychological science of smell. She is the author of several books including one on smell called, The Scent of Desire. Another book of hers called That’s Disgusting, and it takes a scientific look at repulsion.  Her most recent book explores the science behind our relationship with food and is called, Why You Eat What You Eat.  I loved the book and couldn’t stop smiling as I devoured the audio version.  And I am not alone—it was listed among the “Best Food Books of 2018” by The Smithsonian and The New Yorker and has been praised high and low by the press and thought leaders.

Book link: https://amzn.to/3qKlTtr This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).