[img]http://resources2.news.com.au/cs/newscomau/v2/_shared/base/css/images/icons/homepage-title.png[/img] Source: [url]http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/love-vegemite-but-hate-brussels-sprouts-heres-why/story-fneuz8zj-1226511303121[/url]
[img]http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2012/11/07/1226511/312863-salad.jpg[/img]
Will it ever be enjoyable to eat salad? Picture: Thinkstock
[quote][B]FROM ear infections to having too many tastebuds, here are the surprising reasons you like (or loathe) particular foods.[/B]
Love Vegemite but hate salad? Happy to eat anchovies by the plateful or would you rather pass, thanks very much? We are pretty firm about what we do - and don't - like the taste of, and increasingly scientists can tell us why.
For instance, just a few weeks ago U.S. researchers finally discovered why we like to combine sharp, acrid tastes with fatty flavours: a fry-up with a pot of tea; steak with red wine; and cheese with pickle.
Researchers at Rutgers University in New York asked volunteers to drink tea or water in between bites of a fatty meat such as salami. Results showed the tea helped counter the fatty feeling left in the mouth by the meat.
"The way foods make our mouths feel has a great effect on what we choose to eat," says Professor Paul Breslin, an oral biologist at Rutger. It seems the contrast between fatty and sharp, acrid tastes allows us to eat fatty foods more easily - astringent food and drink reduce saliva, drying the mouth and cancelling out the greasy feeling created by fatty ones.
This, in turn, creates a clean feeling.
"This natural tendency for seeking balance in our mouths might have benefits for maintaining a diversity of foods in our diet," says Professor Breslin.
It might also be good for our oral health, as it stops our mouths becoming too lubricated. "This is necessary to keep our teeth from wearing down and our oral tissues healthy," adds Professor Breslin.
Taste is an incredibly important and sometimes complicated, sense, playing a huge role in our enjoyment of life, says Shahzada Ahmed, a consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and BMI The Priory Hospital, Birmingham.
Taste is the combination of different chemical signals on the tongue: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami (savoury). These are picked up by tastebuds - up to 10,000 of them.
Contrary to popular belief, they aren't the lumps you see on your tongue - those are papillae. The tastebuds are on or around the papillae. Each bud contains 100 or so receptor cells, which respond to the taste chemicals and send impulses to the brain.
We reveal the latest revelations about how taste works, and how it affects your health:
[img]http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2012/11/07/1226511/301903-vegemite.jpg[/img]
[I]Can you make yourself a Vegemite-lover?[/I]
[B]The reasons you hate healthy veggies[/B]
Up to a quarter of us are what's known as supertasters. They have more tastebuds - more than 10,000 rather than the average 2,000. As a result they taste food far more intensely.
This can be a bonus. Many chefs and wine tasters are supertasters, able to differentiate flavour more readily than the rest of us.
But you can be too sensitive for your own good. Nutrient-rich but bitter vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts can be unpalatable.
To find out if you're a supertaster, there's an easy test. Punch a hole in the corner of a piece of card before putting a few drops of blue food colouring on your tongue.
Next, place the card on the front of your tongue and press gently. "With a magnifying glass and mirror, count the papillae - these won't pick up the dye, so will appear as pink dots against the blue," says Mr Ahmed. "If you have 35 or more, you may be a supertaster."
[B]Overweight? Blame detailed tastebuds[/B]
German researchers revealed last month that obese children have a less sensitive sense of taste than children of normal weight.
A study published in the Archives Of Disease In Childhood observed 99 obese children and 94 of normal weight aged between six and 18.
It found that obese children found it significantly more difficult to tell one taste sensation from another, and to identify the taste correctly.
"We are still unsure why this may occur and whether obesity causes a dulled sense of taste or if they have this to begin with, but having a dulled sense of taste probably means the children need increasing amounts of food and flavour to give them stimulation," says Mr Ahmed.
[B]There are tastebuds in your tummy, too[/B]
Taste cells aren't found only on your tongue - they're everywhere, from the roof of your mouth to your stomach and intestine. Those in the mouth help us make those instant judgments about what we should be eating, while those in the gut ensure the digestive system is prepared for what happens next.
"If you were to eat something bitter and potentially toxic, gut cells would sound an alarm to slow down absorption or encourage you to be sick," says Mr Ahmed.
And if you ate something sweet, these taste cells may then ensure the body boosts your insulin levels to cope with the extra sugar.
[B]The tounge tip is more sensitive to sour tastes[/B]
For years, people thought we tasted different flavours on different parts of the tongue. The so-called "tongue map" put sweet flavours at the tip, bitter at the back, and salty and sour at the sides.
This was based on misguided science from a century ago, says George Murty, a consultant ear, nose and throat specialist at University Hospital Leicester. However, "studies do suggest that some parts of the tongue may be more sensitive to specific flavours," he says.
A Japanese study found women were more sensitive to sourness on the tongue tip, and to salty and bitter tastes on the soft palate (the fleshy part at the back of the mouth). Both sexes were less sensitive to a sour taste on the soft palate than the tongue tip.
It is thought hormones may play a role: poisons are bitter or sour, and a woman needs to be sensitive to harmful toxins, particularly when trying to get pregnant or when carrying a baby.
Ear infections can damage taste for good
It Is well known that colds affect taste. This is because 90 per cent of the flavour of food comes from our sense of smell (particles of food are breathed into the nose, hitting sensory cells that send an electric signal to the brain). If the nose is blocked, this is affected.
But ear infections, too, can cause problems. "Repeated middle ear infections such as glue ear can affect the ability to taste," says Mr Ahmed. "This is because ear infections can damage the taste nerve, which runs up from the tongue right through the middle ear and into the brain.
"This damage can intensify the sensation of the texture of fatty foods, and as a result these people may put on weight."
Other illnesses linked to a loss of taste include Sjogren's Syndrome, an auto-immune condition that affects up to 4 per cent of adults and causes the immune system to attack glands that secrete fluid, such as the saliva glands.
An underactive thyroid can also cause problems, possibly because the thyroid hormone helps maintain the health of the lining of the taste nerves. Fortunately, hormone replacement tablets will help reverse any problems.
"Liver disease and kidney failure can also damage your sense of taste," says Dr Murty.
These organs rid the body of toxins. If they stop functioning poisons can build up, affecting the tongue lining and nerves.
[B]Why fatty foods are so moreish[/B]
Who can stop at just one or two chips? Now scientists think they know why this is so.
University of California researchers discovered that when rats tasted something fatty, cells in their upper gut started producing endocannabinoids - marijuana-like chemicals that give a natural high.
Interestingly, the study showed sugars and proteins do not have the same effect. Fats may be the only foodstuff to produce these chemicals because of evolution.
"Fats are the ultimate energy source," says Carl Philpott, a consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon and rhinologist at James Paget University Hospital, Norfolk.
"So when we needed to survive long, cold winters, that was the type of food we needed to stock up on."
[B]Could your heart pills ruin the taste of food?[/B]
A number of drugs can interfere with our sense of taste. Anti-depressants can block taste messages reaching the brain, says Dr Murty.
Beta-blockers, taken for heart conditions and high blood pressure, can also cause problems.
These block the transmission of nerve impulses that cause blood vessels to narrow and the heart to beat faster, but they can also affect other nerves, including receptor nerves on the tongue.
Chemotherapy can also cause total loss of taste or alter it, so everything seems bitter, salty or metallic. This is because chemo drugs target cells with a fast turnover rate. This includes tastebuds cells (and smell receptor cells).
However, normal taste generally returns within a couple of months of stopping chemo.
[B]Good taste starts with your mother[/B]
What you like to eat might not be such a personal choice after all. Certain foodstuffs - garlic and vanilla, for instance - have been shown to enter the womb through the amniotic fluid, giving the baby a preference for those foods after birth, says Carl Philpott.
Genes, too, play a part. A study at Kings College, London compared the diets of 3,000 female twins with non-identical twins. Identical twins were found to share far more preferences, such as weaknesses for coffee, garlic or fruit and vegetables.
"This suggests genetics play a moderate part in the development of preferred foods," says Professor Jane Wardle, who led the study.
It is possible that genes involved with taste, or the reward chemicals released by the brain in response to certain foods, play a role.
[B]Vegemite - you can make yourself love it[/B]
IT Is possible to train yourself to like certain tastes - particularly important with children (who tend to default to sweet tastes when young, primarily because the growing body is programmed to go for high-energy food).
A lot of the time it's simply psychological, taking cues from others. Try eating with people who enjoy your dreaded food type.
"Bringing out the sweetness of foods can also make them more palatable," says Mr Ahmed. "Roasting bitter broccoli will draw out its natural sugars."
Finally, teaming it with something fatty - say cauliflower with a cheesy sauce - can also help.
"Fatty foods trigger receptors in the stomach that produce feel-good chemicals," says Mr Ahmed.[/quote]
Interesting, so you have "taste" receptors in your stomach that recognize foods and take the appropriate actions.
I wonder if this is why eating new foods that you have never tried before can lead to mild indigestion. The body doesn't recognize it, so it has to guess at the appropriate response.
There is a lot of interesting stuff in the article, I have just specifically wondered about that in the past.
Guess I lucked out; as a supertaster I've loved all my veggies since I was born. Some of them [i]can[/i] be overly bland though.
I don't understand how anyone who didn't grow up eating vegemite can ever love that shit. My friend brought back some from Australia and all I can think is "Dear god, why??"
[QUOTE=Wealth + Taste;38345248]I don't understand how anyone who didn't grow up eating vegemite can ever love that shit. My friend brought back some from Australia and all I can think is "Dear god, why??"[/QUOTE]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am6fco14Gi0[/media]
relevant
[QUOTE=Wealth + Taste;38345248]I don't understand how anyone who didn't grow up eating vegemite can ever love that shit. My friend brought back some from Australia and all I can think is "Dear god, why??"[/QUOTE]Even amongst Australians it's a love it or hate it thing. I can't stand it personally.
[QUOTE=GunFox;38343780]Interesting, so you have "taste" receptors in your stomach that recognize foods and take the appropriate actions.
[/QUOTE]
This is basic knowledge. Different chemicals are needed to digest different foods. Being able to tell meat from carrot is vital.
[QUOTE=Wealth + Taste;38345248]I don't understand how anyone who didn't grow up eating vegemite can ever love that shit. My friend brought back some from Australia and all I can think is "Dear god, why??"[/QUOTE]
Put it on toast and finely glaze it on the bread, don't fucking get a spoon and just put big blobs everywhere
Fuck you vegemite, you lovely, black, smooth yeast extract.
I could be one of those people who take pictures of them laughing whilst eating salad, but no. I'm just sittin here eating my vegemite on toast.
[editline]6th November 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=fruxodaily;38345926]Put it on toast and finely glaze it on the bread, don't fucking get a spoon and just put big blobs everywhere[/QUOTE]
Yeah I don't get why people taste vegemite for the first time with a big glob on a spoon, of course its gonna taste like shit.
I remember this one time a mate of mine got a party plate, put vegemite all on it, then sprinkled it with M&M's, told me it was chocolate then dared me $50 that I could eat it within a minute
god no
no
Wait, there are people who actually hate salad?
I for one like a salad every once in awhile, provided it has little to no carrots. I hate those things.
[QUOTE=mr apple;38346196]Yeah I don't get why people taste vegemite for the first time with a big glob on a spoon, of course its gonna taste like shit.[/QUOTE]
This is true for a ton of things, especially little bits of flavoring and spices.
Ever tried to drink a teaspoon of straight vanilla (real vanilla, not the fake stuff)? It tastes horrendous, yet many dishes without vanilla are just simply not the same. Same with straight lemons or limes. Peppers, etc.
As a baby, by child-minder used to cook roast dinners and then blend them to be baby food. Apparently I would refuse to eat it if there was as much a a quarter of a brussel's sprout in the mix. Maybe I'm a supertaster?
(i don't mind sprouts now though)
[QUOTE=fruxodaily;38345926]Put it on toast and finely glaze it on the bread, don't fucking get a spoon and just put big blobs everywhere[/QUOTE]
I don't think you expressed how important it is to make it as thin a spread as you can. Generally, if you can't see the bread through it, you have too much, unless you like it strong
Well I guess this explains why I prefer my salad drizzled in dressing, or my poop soaked in soap. It's just the 2 ingredients that balance perfectly
[QUOTE=Noth;38346841]I don't think you expressed how important it is to make it as thin a spread as you can. Generally, if you can't see the bread through it, you have too much, unless you like it strong[/QUOTE]
If you don't have the taste in your mouth for a good hour after eating, you're not using enough.
Salad is awesome. One time when I was about five, my mum found me under the kitchen table taking bites out of a lettuce as if it were a huge apple.
They used vegimite as a punishment in a quiz game I took on a sailing trip in Australia.
[QUOTE=taipan;38347321]They used vegimite as a punishment in a quiz game I took on a sailing trip in Australia.[/QUOTE]
I'd say awesome, but you didn't mention how much they used
[QUOTE=Wealth + Taste;38345248]I don't understand how anyone who didn't grow up eating vegemite can ever love that shit. My friend brought back some from Australia and all I can think is "Dear god, why??"[/QUOTE]
Vegemite is the shit.
Toast, cheese and a thin coat of vegemite in between. m, m, mmm
Marmite*
Vegemite and cheese on toast is amazing.
Marmite > Vegemite.
[img]http://static.stuff.co.nz/1332102140/450/6597450.jpg[/img]
Get well soon ;_;
[QUOTE=Ryu-Gi;38346279]I for one like a salad every once in awhile, provided it has little to no carrots. I hate those things.[/QUOTE]
Gwuh? I LOVE carrots, man. Also I'm totally fine with eating salad and greens; sprouts are fine if cooked right, and all that jazz. However I'm not so big on raw tomatoes; they make my mouth feel kind of "ulcerous", as in a few little blobs swell up in my cheeks and on my tongue.
I'm not so bad in terms of tasting, though; I'm certainly able to enjoy the tastes of beers, even if I much prefer spirits like whiskey and rum. For me, my main issue with foods is the texture; things like beans and peas and other things that leave behind a certain grainy texture after chewing are things I can't really abide. It's because of this that whilst I LOVE fresh fruits like pears and watermelon, I can't eat them if they've lost some of their freshness and start to get soft and grainy. Coconuts, bananas and dates are also things I just can't deal with.
Aww yeah, bet ya'll bitches can't even taste the difference between coke and pepsi
Maybe the fact that I am an overtaster is why I can taste the high-fructose corn syrup that American companies insist on putting in everything?
Goddamn that aftertaste. I love veggies, have learned to tolerate and love bitter and spice, but that damn aftertaste gets me every time. I'd never take American Coke over imported Coke for that reason.
[QUOTE=Zephyrs;38346533]This is true for a ton of things, especially little bits of flavoring and spices.
Ever tried to drink a teaspoon of straight vanilla (real vanilla, not the fake stuff)? It tastes horrendous, yet many dishes without vanilla are just simply not the same. Same with straight lemons or limes. Peppers, etc.[/QUOTE]
hey
i used to take a lemon wedge and suck all the juice out
it was pretty delicious
[QUOTE=Asmaedus;38348696]Marmite > Vegemite.
[img]http://static.stuff.co.nz/1332102140/450/6597450.jpg[/img]
Get well soon ;_;[/QUOTE]
Messmör > Marmite > Vegemite
WE JUST SALT OUR FUCKING BREAD AND EAT IT
YOU ARE ALL SISSIES WHO CAN'T SWALLOW A DRY BITE
IF YOU HAVE SUCH FUCKING FADDY YOU CAN HAVE SOME FUCKING HONEY OR CURD
/SLAVIC PEOPLE/
[QUOTE=LordCrypto;38356843]hey
i used to take a lemon wedge and suck all the juice out
it was pretty delicious[/QUOTE]
I can do the same, but it's a bit acidic for my stomach now. I do love eating straight Jalepenos, Habaneros, Chili Peppers, etc (Or sugared, caramelized in a sauce pan, and eaten straight or served over a main course)
A plain lime is hard to bite into though.
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