Tongue tastes

DOMESTIC AFFAIRS: Beyond the Tastebuds, The Science of Deliciousness

By mpuls16

  • Born with taste preferences?

    Born with taste preferences?
    It has been proven why babies make a gross face when they taste a bitter food or drink. Human breast milk has lactose in it which is a sugar. These are primal instincts we are all born with as to help us from eating poisonous foods. Our tongues have a few receptors for sweet tastes, while they have hundreds for bitter tastes.

  • The tongue map

    The tongue map
    What many used to think was that different taste buds were categorized around your mouth. So the theory was that you only tasted sweets on the tip of your tongue. This age old theory has been disproved. The papillae that allow you to taste all of your food are placed all over your tongue and mouth in general.

  • Flavor or taste?

    Flavor or taste?
    People use taste and flavor to describe the same thing, when really they have two different meanings. Flavor is produced by all of the senses, and most greatly effected by smell. This is why when you plug your nose or close your eyes, a food may taste different. The taste refers strictly to the response you get from your papillae in your mouth. The taste categories are sweet, bitter, unami, salt, and sour.

  • All in your head?

    All in your head?
    Much of what you believe you are tasting when you eat is the expectation of that food. It has been proven that if you believe you will enjoy a food that you are trying, then you literally will enjoy that food more. In 2002 McDonalds announced that they would remove salt from one of their menu items and many customers agreed that they didn't taste near as good. This conclusion though, was made before McDonalds had even removed the salt. What was perceived was greatly influenced by expecation.

  • Dangers

    Dangers
    Since we are born with the preference of sweet and sugary tastes, this is what we enjoy eating more. This has become dangerous as sugar hsa become a way of strress and pain relief. Children eat too much of it and parents are reinforcing it as well. This is upsetting because of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and tooth decay. In developed countries sugar is very easy to attain and the addiction and urge for it is only growing stronger.