Certain Foods Everyone has a food they don’t enjoy. It could be Brussels sprouts, olives, blue cheese, or seafood. Not all foods taste as good as our favorite meals, and that’s okay. However, some people believe that we can train ourselves to like certain foods. Is there any truth to this theory?
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Taste And smell
Your taste buds, found in different parts of your body, help you decide which foods you like or dislike. The number of taste buds you have is determined by your genes. Some people have fewer taste buds, while others have more. This is important because it affects the way you perceive flavors. If you have many taste buds, you are considered a “supertaster,” meaning you can taste things with less intensity. So, if someone enjoys what you consider to be bland food, it might be because they have more taste buds than you do. On the other hand, if you need a lot of spices and salt to taste anything, it’s possible that you have fewer taste buds.
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However, taste buds are not the only factor influencing your perception of flavors. Your sense of smell also plays a significant role. When you eat, a large part of the taste actually comes from the aroma of the food. You may have noticed that when you pinch your nose while eating or when you have a cold, the food doesn’t taste as good. This is because, when you chew, chemicals from the food travel into your nose and activate receptors there. These receptors, along with your taste buds, work together to determine the specific taste and flavor of the food, which ultimately affects whether you like it or not.
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Exposure
Why do we have preferences for certain foods? It turns out that our exposure to them plays a big role. Even as young as two years old, children can already determine if they like a particular food. This is influenced by the food their mother ate while pregnant, as the amniotic fluid they inhale in the womb carries the taste of that food. Breastfeeding also exposes babies to flavors from their mother’s diet. If we haven’t been exposed to certain foods before the age of two, we might not develop a liking for them.
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However, exposure during childhood isn’t the only factor that influences our food preferences. Our memories, emotions, the texture, and smell of food can also affect how we perceive its taste and whether we like it or not. If the texture reminds us of something unpleasant or if we have negative memories associated with the smell or taste, it can lead us to dislike that particular food. These factors can shape our overall perception and determine whether a food ends up on our “dislike” list.
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Train Yourself
If your genes and exposure influence your food preferences, can you train yourself to like something? According to Peters, you can. The reason you don’t like certain foods is because they’re new to you. By repeatedly trying that type of food, you become more familiar with it. There are steps to follow though. Initially, you can just put the food in your mouth without swallowing to let your taste buds and nose get used to the flavor. Eventually, you can try swallowing the food, and it will feel more familiar. You may not ever truly like the food, but at least you’ll be able to eat it without feeling disgusted!
The key question to ask yourself is whether it’s worth the effort. If you enjoy all vegetables except for one, it might be better to focus on eating the ones you do like. According to Peters, that’s actually better for your overall well-being. It’s more beneficial to direct your energy towards consuming the foods you actually want to eat rather than forcing yourself to eat something you never really liked in the first place.
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