Chemical Senses: A Healthy Diet May Be Linked to a Better Sense of Smell

The study used data from 6,690 adults with an average age of 44.5 years. Participants completed a 16-item odor identification test and dietary questionnaires. A reduced sense of smell was recorded when a person correctly identified no more than 12 odors.

The researchers compared the test results with several measures of diet quality, including adherence to the Mediterranean diet and plant-based dietary patterns. Higher scores on most healthy eating indices were associated with better odor identification and a lower likelihood of hyposmia, or a reduced sense of smell. The opposite association was observed for diets containing greater amounts of less healthy plant-based foods.

Better olfactory performance was also associated with higher consumption of fruits and vegetables. However, the findings do not mean that individual foods directly improve the ability to distinguish odors.

The authors note that the relationship may work in both directions: diet may influence olfactory function, but the sense of smell itself can also shape food preferences. For example, someone with a reduced ability to smell may choose different foods and consume fewer essential nutrients.

The study cannot establish a cause-and-effect relationship because dietary habits and olfactory function were assessed during the same period. In addition, diet was evaluated using participants’ self-reported answers, and the test measured odor identification specifically rather than all aspects of olfactory function. Long-term studies are needed to confirm the findings.

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