12 Gifts of Mindful Eating: Gift 4 – Aroma


Aroma is Gift 4 of the 12 Gifts of Mindful Eating. For 12 days, we are sharing a mini-mindful eating exercise to help you focus on the gift of each day. Each one is intentionally short, simple, and powerful.

The Gift of Aroma

We’ve all experienced the mouth-watering aroma of hot cinnamon rolls… but did you know that flavor is actually a combination of taste and aroma?

In fact, your tongue only perceives about 10% of the “flavor” you perceive: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami (savory). Everything else you “taste” is actually coming from the aroma!

Make eating a sensuous, multisensory experience!

(Additional reading: Sensuous Eating: Make eating a multisensory experience)

Today begins a series of Flavor Experiments. (This is a really fun activity to do with your family!)

Choose several similar foods to “taste” with your nose plugged and your eyes closed. Suggestions:

  • Apples and pears (or if you dare, raw sweet onion. Be prepared to be amazed!)
  • Lemons and limes
  • Black and green olives
  • Jelly beans or fruit flavored LifeSavers
  • Red and white wine

What did you notice? Here are two ways you can increase the flavor of your food through the gift of aroma:

  • Pause to smell your food before you put it in your mouth.
  • Take small bites so you won’t block the aromas from traveling up the nasopharanyx (back of your throat) to your smell receptors.

Gift #5: The Gift of Taste

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