Ever wonder why your apple pie doesn’t taste quite as good as grandma’s? There are two possibilities. Either A) there’s a secret ingredient she’s not sharing, or B) she’s giving it extra love. Seriously – according to scientists, love can actually make food taste better.

A recent study at the University of Maryland has shown that our perception of love and good intentions can ease pain, increase joy, and even make food taste better. In a series of experiments, researchers determined that we perceive candy as tasting sweeter when we receive it from a loved one.

“It’s no surprise that food companies always pair their products with kindly old grandfathers and smiling mothers – thinking of this make-believe benevolence likely increases our enjoyment,” explains author Professor Kurt Gray.

The study also tested the effects of kindness on our perception of pain. Researchers administered identical electric shocks to participants with varying explanations. Some were told they were being shocked accidentally or maliciously by a partner, while others were told that their shocks were being administered by a partner in an attempt to help the receiver win a cash prize. Despite the identical levels of electricity used on all participants, the ones who perceived their shocks as being part of a friendly game reported far lower levels of pain.

The pain portion of the experiment has implications for the importance of “bedside manner” in medical professionals. As Professor Gray explains, “How painful people find medical procedures depends in part upon the perceived intentions of the person administering it. Getting blood taken from stony-faced nurse hurts more than from an empathic one.”

There you have it – a little love goes a long way! So how can you knock grandma off her pie pedestal and win your family’s pastry-centric approval? Try telling them how long you spent peeling the apples, kneading the dough, cooking the filling, all because you care about them and want them to experience a little slice of heaven in a buttery crust. They’ll feel the love.

Image: Delicious apple pie, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from bcostin’s photostream.