Strawberries have been crowned the ‘happiest fruit’ by a new study.
The berry's appeal is so strong that 86 per cent of those surveyed by the University of London claimed that just by thinking about eating one they felt more relaxed.
Researcher Professor Barry Smith said it is the distinctive smell of strawberries that evokes happy memories.
Fruits such as apples bring back less pleasant memories of meals on the go, while bananas and plums were the least likely to improve mood.
The study also found that sound impacts on taste, with the noise of a picnic or lawnmower making strawberries seem fruitier than a background of honking traffic or a bustling office.
Professor Smith, who did the research for the University of London’s Centre for the Study of the Senses, said: 'The smell is difficult to create artificially.
'Flavouring companies have failed at it by and large and yet it is so powerful as a reminder of those happy summer days.'
