Beverage flavors can invoke memories, experts say
Comax Flavors releases Sweet Memories flavor line to invoke nostalgia
Earlier this year, “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl reported about a condition known as hyperthymesia or highly superior autobiographical memory. People with this condition can remember virtually every day of their lives, according to the CBS program. This can include what they ate for breakfast 10 years ago or, in the beverage industry’s case, what they drank with their breakfast 10 years ago.
Of course, this ability is limited to a very select few. Some of us can barely remember what we had for breakfast this morning. In that case, we can rely on the foods and beverages we consume to help us recall memories. According to Comax Flavors, feelings of nostalgia are easily stirred when foods and beverages trigger a familiar taste or smell from our past. This also has been called “involuntary memory,” which was coined by author Marcel Proust, according to Wikipedia. In one of his novels, Proust describes an incident in which he ate a piece of tea-soaked cake and was reminded of a time in the past when he ate tea-soaked cake with his aunt, the website states.
A recent study in the journal of Psychological Science reported that consuming foods associated with good thoughts and warm feelings improves the sense of well-being and evokes true feelings of happiness, Comax adds. Therefore, the flavorhouse created a line of Sweet Memory flavors, including Root Beer Float, Blueberry Pie, S’mores, Cinnamon Bun and Cheesecake.
The next time you take a sip of your drink, take time to savor its taste and smell. You never know when a treasured memory will come back to you.
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