Research has shown that picky eaters can be influenced by the color of their food bowl. In particular, the food served in red bowls was negatively received. The explanation is that if you’re a picky eater and don’t eat well, it’s best to avoid the red bowls.
Researchers at the University of Portsmouth in the UK studied the effects of color perception on people with picky eaters and those who don’t.
The research team first measured food neophobia, a tendency to be reluctant to try new foods, through a questionnaire on about 50 participants, and divided them into two groups: those with picky appetites and those without.
Next, they were asked to taste the same brand of potato chips (salt-and-vinegar potato chips) in red, white, and blue bowls. Consequently, the color of the bowl greatly influenced the desire to eat the snack and the perceived salty taste in the bowl. picky palate group, has been shown to affect
The group rated the cookies in the blue and red bowls as more salty than those in the white bowls. And they replied that they had less desire to eat snacks in a red bowl.
The researchers explain that this could be due to the perception that associates red with danger. It is possible that people had negative expectations when they saw red, and people’s perceptions may have been influenced by pre-existing preconceptions or stereotypes.
The author of the study, Dr. Lorenzo Stafford, said: “This study is the first to provide insight into the relationship between color and taste in people with fussy eaters. “The results of this study provide preliminary evidence of how food can help improve the experience of eating. “
The results were published in the scientific journal Food Quality and Preference.
