Culture-based metaphorical temperature affects food choices: Chinese consumers choose foods based on their hot-cold nature.

The effects of both food temperature and ambient temperature have recently been studied in the context of food marketing and decision-making. However, despite the dominant role of culture-based metaphorical temperature, a characteristic rooted in traditional food culture, in shaping food preferences in many regions (e.g., Southeast Asia), its impact has been overlooked in previous research. Across three studies, this research investigated the effect of metaphorical food temperature on people's food choices. The results revealed that participants chose hot-natured (vs. cold-natured) foods when imagining themselves as experiencing 'bodily cold' (vs. 'bodily hot'; Study 1), as these foods were perceived to be healthier under those conditions (Studies 2 and 3). These findings highlight the influence of culture-based metaphorical temperature on how people perceive the nutritional properties of foods.