Peaches ripen on a branch at Chappell Farms orchard in Kline, S.C., in July 2013. Jeffery Collins/AP hide caption
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Jeffery Collins/AP
Peaches ripen on a branch at Chappell Farms orchard in Kline, S.C., in July 2013.
Jeffery Collins/AP
Researchers from Sweden and the United Kingdom teamed up to sniff out the answer to a question practically every person has pondered at one time or another: what is the best smell out there?
They found that most people, despite coming from different cultures and backgrounds, find vanilla to be the most pleasant smell on the planet more often than not. Sour, stinky feet? Not so much.
The collaborative study between Sweden's Karolinska Institutet and the University of Oxford found that people share similar preferences when it comes to smell, regardless of cultural background. And according to the results, vanilla is the most pleasing smell around, followed by ethyl butyrate, which smells like peaches.
Artin Arshamian, a researcher at Karolinska and one of the study's authors, said humans may have similar olfactory preferences because it helped early humans survive. Which may very well explain why stinky feet came in dead last as far as appealing odors are concerned.
According to the study, the pleasantness of a smell can be attributed to the structure of an edible item's odor molecule 41% of the time. Simply put, humans likely enjoy many of the same smells, more often than not, because of a deep-rooted sense that an item is safe to eat.
"We wanted to examine if people around the world have the same smell perception and like the same types of [odor], or whether this is something that is culturally learned," Arshamian said. "Traditionally it has been seen as cultural, but we can show that culture has very little to do with it."
In fact, researchers had anticipated culture playing a significantly larger role in the results. The experiment requested 225 participants from nine non-Western diverse cultures, including individuals from communities with little contact with the Western world, to participate in the study. Surprisingly, scientists found that a participant's culture only accounted for 6% of the variance in the findings.
A less-than shocking revelation was that personal preference came into consideration 54% of the time. This explains why, as referenced in the study's results, a dish such as fermented herring may be appetizing to some yet interpreted as the "most repulsive [smell] in the world" to others.
"Now we know that there's universal [odor] perception that is driven by molecular structure and that explains why we like or dislike a certain smell," Arshamian said. "The next step is to study why this is so by linking this knowledge to what happens in the brain when we smell a particular [odor]."
FAQs
The smell of Vanilla tends to trigger happy memories – often from childhood – which can elevate the mood and promote a general sense of well-being. Often paired with notions of warmth, softness, and caring, Vanilla conveys a sense of purity and simplicity that many people find grounding.
Do peach and vanilla smell good together? ›
This one actually smells really, really good. It rounds out peach cobbler a little bit more. The peach cobbler already smells like peach cobbler, but adding the vanilla in there. actually makes it smell amazing.
What is the most pleasing scent to humans? ›
From a list of ten unique scents, survey respondents from a variety of cultural backgrounds all ranked vanilla the most pleasant, reports Peter Dockrill for Science Alert. Researchers suggest there may be an evolutionary basis for the universal aroma preference, reports Peter Dockrill for Science Alert.
What is the smell most people love? ›
They found that most people, despite coming from different cultures and backgrounds, find vanilla to be the most pleasant smell on the planet more often than not.
Do guys like when girls smell like vanilla? ›
Fragrant Notes That Men Love on Women
Without a doubt, sweet and delicious scents attract men, that's why cinnamon and vanilla are classified by many perfume enthusiasts as the best fragrant notes.
Does vanilla scent turn men on? ›
Vanilla:
The aphrodisiac qualities of vanilla should come at little surprise, since vanilla's soothing scent has also been shown to increase arousal by 9 percent in men.
Why do peaches smell so good? ›
For example, the smell of peaches and nectarines come from a compound called lactones (surprisingly, lactones also contribute to the smell of coconuts). Also, apples, pears, and bananas all have the same acids that make up their esters (esters are a combination of an acid and an alcohol), but differ in their alcohols.
Why is vanilla scent so comforting? ›
The scent of vanilla is not only identified with warmth, softness and caring but also evokes feelings of purity and simplicity. For example, the term 'plain vanilla' is often used to describe anything that is simple, unembellished or pure.
Is vanilla a seductive scent? ›
As scents go, vanilla perfumes for women have a lot of a history. These days, it might be discounted as too cloying or basic, but vanilla perfumes are bona fide aphrodisiacs with a proven ability to soothe, seduce, and even increase arousal.
What smell is most arousing to men? ›
1. Vanilla. It's long been believed that vanilla is a natural aphrodisiac: as early as the 1700s, physicians recommended it to male patients to ensure potency. And the sweet, welcoming odor has a euphoric effect that sets the sensual mood.
According to their study, the best smell is vanilla and the worst smell is sweaty feet. The results show that people share favourite smells regardless of where they come from in the world. What are your favourite and least favourite smells?
What smell is sexally seductive? ›
“Vanilla, jasmine, ginger, patchouli, sandalwood… all these are known to have great powers of attraction and provoke aphrodisiac reactions,” describes Ricci.
What smell turns a woman on? ›
Soothing scents such as lavender can relax women, leading to increased feelings of arousal. Vanilla is a crowd-pleasing scent that both men and women find attractive. Applying peppermint on your lips can help you seal the deal with your date.
Which smells do men love on a woman? ›
Men are most attracted to sweet, delicate and delicious scents. Think fruity, floral and gourmand. It's no shocker that men love super feminine fragrances. Fruity scents are captivating and sweet enough to grab their attention.
Why do I like vanilla so much? ›
Not only is it considered to be the world's favorite flavor because of its subtle yet intoxicatingly sweet, creamy and floral notes, but the process for producing vanilla is meticulous, unforgiving and exhilarating.
What does the smell of vanilla symbolize? ›
To me and millions of others, the smell of vanilla is code for home, comfort, and belonging.
What is the psychology behind the smell of vanilla? ›
Vanilla has a warm, sweet scent that is often associated with comfort and relaxation. Studies have shown that vanilla can have a calming effect, reducing stress and anxiety while promoting a sense of well-being.
What does vanilla scent say about you? ›
Fans of vanilla scents are loud, outgoing, fun loving and the heart and soul of the party. They have lots of energy and are fun to be around and most likely to be found dancing until dawn.
