Hu and associates set out to learn more about how stress influences our experiences in the physical world by having individuals experiencing varying levels of stress taste whole and skim milk. They share that “Chronic stress has been linked to changes in taste or odor perception. . . . Compared with the low-stress group, the high-stress group showed reduced pleasantness ratings for the whole milk fat flavor and taste. . . . the high-stress group ate less vegetables and fruits than the low-stress group. For people with high levels of perceived stress, the observed altered fat sensory preference may contribute to the consumption or choice of certain foods. . . . The current results suggest that a high level of perceived stress is associated with decreased hedonic [pleasure-related] food-related fat sensory perception.”
Qian Hu, Longxuan Zheng, Lige Luo, Haiyang Yu, and Pengfei Han. 2024. “Pleasantness of Fat Flavor is Decreased in Young Adults with High Perceived Stress.” Journal of Sensory Studies, vol. 39, no. 4, e12942, https://doi.org/10.1111/joss.12942