Have you ever noticed that drinking a mule just doesn't taste right if it's not in copper? Or that your morning coffee somehow tastes better when it's in your favorite mug? We all have our favorite kitchenware to eat and drink off of - a particular plate for pizza, a certain bowl for ramen, and an orange mug for hot chocolate.
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Why orange you ask? Well, it makes the chocolate taste better. It may sound ludicrous that the color of a mug can somehow make hot chocolate taste better, but as it turns out, it's not so crazy. Each individual has their own unique likes and dislikes when it comes to smells, flavors, tastes, and colors. Color in particular, can play a role in how we distinguish our food.
Each color has a hidden symbolic meaning recognized by the brain. Blue is often calming and peaceful, while red is dangerous and passionate. Orange, now that represents intensity.
According to the Daily Mail, a study done by Oxford University and the Polytechnic University of Valencia tested perceived effects of drinking hot chocolate out of four different colored cups. What researchers found was that the volunteers liked the orange cups best. The color orange intensifies the flavor, whereas white lacks the same effect.
This finding solidifies that color does in fact has an effect on perceived taste, so maybe our OCD dining habits aren't so crazy after all.
Next time your family shakes their heads at your kitchenware insistence, tell them about the orange mug. And if that doesn't work, then I guess a little taste test is in order.
