A Taste-full New Year
By Nina Fuller
Did you ever wonder why your favorite foods taste so good or why there are some foods you just can’t stomach? Or how come some people like dishes that are extra spicy, while others prefer much less intense flavor? Well, it all comes down to your tongue, your nose and your brain.
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Your Tongue
The average person is born with about 10,000 taste buds on his or her tongue. Each taste bud is made up of approximately 100 sensing cells that are continually regenerating. But as we age, some of our taste cells die and are not replaced. A common misconception is that “one’s palate matures and becomes more sophisticated over time.” The reality is that children are generally more physiologically sensitive than adults, and that taste and smell sensitivity decreases with time. In fact, an older person may have only 3,000 to 5,000 working taste buds. That’s why certain foods may taste stronger or be less appetizing to kids than they are to adults; young people experience more of the nuances in foods than we do.
Your Nose
The tongue is not the only thing that “tastes” your food. Your tongue and nose work together. Most people can detect up to 10,000 different smells or odors. But, typically, you can distinguish only four different tastes: sweet, sour, salt and bitter. Since 1990, another taste has been added to the mix. It is commonly known by its Japanese name, “umami,” which is translated as “richness” or “deliciousness” and often described as “savory.” All of the other tastes or flavors that you notice are actually influenced by your nose.
While you’re chewing, food releases chemicals that immediately travel up into your nose. These chemicals trigger the olfactory receptors inside the nose and send messages to your brain. The olfactory receptors work with your taste buds to create the true flavor of the food you are eating.
Your Brain
Perceptions from both taste and smell are merged in our brains to produce the full sensation of flavor. This combination of senses can also generate extremely powerful emotional responses. How exactly does that work?
The olfactory receptor cells in the nose are actually brain cells—the only brain cells that are exposed on a body surface. Unlike other brain cells, the olfactory receptor cells are continually dying off and regenerating themselves. These cells and your taste buds work synergistically to bring sensations from the nose and mouth to the brain. The nerves involved in this process are closely linked to our emotional centers and memory centers.
As we grow older, we accumulate psychological experiences and emotions related to foods and drinks that can contribute to our preferences. So, a food that brings back pleasant memories can become more desirable, while a food associated with something unpleasant can eventually become physically distasteful.
New Tastes
Taste is as personal as fingerprints, but unlike fingerprints, our tastes can change. The ability to recognize tastes increases gradually as children age, especially between the ages of 13 and 14. As our taste buds develop, the foods that appealed to us in childhood may not be as pleasurable anymore, and vice versa, so the teen years are actually a good time to help your kids experiment with new foods.
On the other hand, because we experience a loss of taste buds and decreased smell sensitivity as we get older, sometimes we can try a food we never liked when we were younger and suddenly love it. Repeated exposure to new foods, especially healthier ones, on a regular basis is a great way to encourage children and adults to overcome past aversions and discover new favorites.
Tips for Encouraging Healthy Eating
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Always keep fresh produce in the house and suggest a fruit or vegetable option first when helping family members decide on a snack.
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Although you should be setting a good example yourself, children are more likely to notice what other kids are eating. If you can convince older children to try a new dish, the younger ones will probably taste it, too.
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Make gradual changes. Don’t take an all-or-nothing approach. Substitute a side dish or main dish with something healthier here and there, but don’t change the whole meal at one time or present several new dishes all in one week. If it’s a disaster, your next attempt may be met with even less enthusiasm.
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Actively involve family members in purchasing, preparing and serving foods. Strange foods are a lot less threatening when a child (or even your spouse) has been a part of the whole process.
There are hundreds of delicious and nutritious fruits, vegetables and whole grains that can be included in daily meals that you may never have tried before. I encourage you to experiment with me. Next time you go to your local farmer’s market or to the produce section at your grocery store, look for unique selections to add interest and fun to your meals. Try this:
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Allow one family member to pick out a fruit or vegetable that they’ve never tried.
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Get another family member to research recipes and choose one.
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As a family, prepare the recipe for a sit-down meal where all are gathered.
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Encourage everyone to taste slowly, breathe in the scent and savor the flavor.
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Discuss what you taste, what you think about the texture and how the food makes you feel or what it reminds you of.
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Then, vote. (1) We like it and will have it again sometime. (2) It has potential, but we want to try it in a different kind of recipe. Or — (3) No way! Let’s move on to something else.
I recently tried this with parsnips, which I’d never had before. I have to admit, though, I didn’t involve my husband, Bart, until it came to the tasting part. I made Whipped Carrots & Parsnips. I was surprised; I actually liked it. Bart said he’d eat it again, but he didn’t really care for it. Darn it! Oh well, there’s a Honey Roasted Parsnips recipe that I think I’ll try again in about a month. Meanwhile, I’ll get him to help me pick out the next healthy product to add to one of our meals.
Why don’t you try this experiment yourself, and let me know how it works out for you? It’ll be fun.
Research Sources: Levine Children’s Hospital, Northland Community & Technical College (Minnesota); Wine Consumer Preferences and Behaviors (2010 Report by Tim Hanni MW and Virginia Utermohlen, MD); SuperKidsNutrition.com; Children’s National Medical Center.
Photo Notes: Yes, that is a picture of me, from several years ago, sticking out my tongue; and yes, that is actually my brain.
About Nina Fuller
Nina Fuller is a Mannatech employee. She recently made a commitment to expand her understanding of good health and explore the many different methods of following a more natural diet, including eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other whole foods; making sure she is getting all the nutrients her body needs; plus finding fun ways to incorporate more physical activities into her daily schedule. Look for more blog articles from Nina as she sets out on her personal wellness journey.
http://www.VitaminsAllNatural.com
