The Anatomy of Taste
During the pandemic, the word “taste” has taken on a new significance. Losing it is an indicator that the dreaded Coronavirus may have arrived at your doorstep. However, given this post is being written on the heels of Valentine’s Day when our thoughts are filled with love, red roses and conversation hearts, I will take this essay in a more upbeat direction. Let’s discuss how our taste buds and food preferences develop and change over our lifetime.
Facts first
But first a few facts as background for our discussion. The average adult has 10,000 taste buds on their tongue. Also called “taste receptors,” taste buds are grouped inside small bumps or “papillae” on your tongue. Each taste bud is composed of between 50 and 150 small receptor cells which process taste. Everyone is different. Some people have a dense concentration of certain type of papillae making them sensitive to certain strong flavors.
The introduction of savory and a new tongue roadmap
Growing up, we learned that the tongue could distinguish four tastes: salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. Recently a fifth taste was introduced: umami. In Japanese, umami means “essence of deliciousness.” Experts often describe its taste as “the meaty, savory deliciousness that deepens flavor,” such as you find in MSG.
We also used to think that the various tastes took up different real estate on the tongue. Sweet and salty were distinguished on the tip while sour ruled the sides. Now, scientists have discovered that many areas of the tongue can record multiple tastes. However, some receptors are more proficient in picking up certain tastes, such as sweet, than others.
The Power of supertasters
People who prefer what we might consider as bland food may, in fact, experience more heighten flavor in what they eat than we do. What to us might be the right amount of salt or sweet, to them might be perceived as excessive. These are what are now referred to as “supertasters.” This increased sensitivity to tastes is genetically inherited and represents roughly 25 % of the population. Supertasters have twice the taste buds than the rest of us and thus, can taste things we can’t, especially things which are bitter.
Life’s trade-offs
Supertasters are on one end of the taste capability spectrum. On the other, are older adults who, through natural aging or medical reasons, gradually lose their sense of taste. Over time, adults will lose half of their taste buds which explains why the perception of flavor intensity gradually diminishes as we grow older. While that might be the case, along the way we adults have a great deal more fun exploring complex flavors and diverse cuisines than children do. Maybe this also explains why so many adults become foodies over time whereas many youngsters see food as mere sustenance. But I am generalizing here which is always a dangerous path to take.
Young vs mature
But in the meantime, I was curious to see how an adult’s palate might stack up to that of a child. So, I asked my nephew’s children what their top ten favorite foods were. (Their spelling has been respected!) TJ, aged eleven, replied: Nutella, cosmic brownies; croutons; macaroni cheese; perogies; lettuce; anchovy; cheese balls; blue cheese; and peanut butter sandwiches. Hailey, his 9-year-old sister, offered her list in shades of pastel magic markers: Fruit smoothies; grilled chicken; roll’s; french toast; ramen; sausage; sour gummies; BBQ chips; salad; Dove chocolate.
Compare that with their 70+year old great-aunt’s fav foods: Fava beans; corn on the cob; heritage tomatoes; fresh fruit tarts; biscotti; green and white asparagus; fresh pasta boiled al dente; Tacos with the works; mashed potatoes; and caviar. Have I proven my theory that adults have for more fun playing with food?
Believe it or not, AJ and Hailey’s lists surprised me as two years ago they were stuck in the plain spaghetti, French fries, and chicken nuggets phase of their life. Clearly, their tongues are growing up, and the fact they now both liked salad greens gave me hope that they were on the right path.
How do taste buds develop?
Like all babies, AJ and Hailey’s taste buds started to develop in their mother Mary’s womb where they were exposed to her diet through amniotic fluid. During their first months as newborns the taste of various foods passed through to them through their mother’s breast milk. Newborns have sensitive taste buds and are born with a sweet tooth, so to speak. They can recognize sweet and sour tastes but prefer sweet. This is nature’s way of nurturing them as mothers’ milk (and formula, too) is sweet. By five months, babies can also distinguish salty. Then, as a child develops into a teenager their ability to distinguish other flavors increases while their preference for sweet flavors generally decreases.
Children’s taste buds develop in tandem with their sense of smell. Ultimately, smell and taste are interrelated. The taste receptors on the tongue identify the taste, whereas the nerves in the nose identify the smell. Both are transmitted to the brain, which combines the information so that flavors can be recognized and appreciated.
Taste as a composite of circumstances
According to Sara Elliott in an article in Howstuffworks.com, “Taste is a composite sense that is partly determined by the taste buds, but also affected by a food’s aroma, its appearance and even previous experiences with that or similar food.”
As a toddler, my Goddaughter, Elizabeth Kennerley, used to pop anchovies in her mouth as if they were bonbons. That is until she was invited to a birthday party at age six. Her friend whose birthday it was requested pizza for her gathering of little, giggling girls all decked out in their fancy frocks. Large pizza boxes arrived with an array of different toppings. When the birthday girl lifted the lid of the box with the anchovy-topped pizza, she let out a shrill. “Yuck! Disgusting. I hate those hairy anchovies!” and immediately pushed the box aside with adult-like distain. From that day onward, Elizabeth refused to eat anything with anchovies.
You see, it is not just about taste. It’s the whole experience: taste, smell, appearance and expectation. Often it has to do with what you are used to plus how the taste experience is presented. If there’s a “yuck” factor involved, chances are you won’t be going back for seconds.
Taste evolution in high gear
Connie Maneaty—the mother of my other Goddaughters, Zoe and Mei, who were adopted from China—had a unique experience to illustrate how her twins’ tastes evolved. “I don't think the twins had solid food before I met them in May 2001 when they were 20 months old. Up to that point, I think their diet consisted mainly of congee, a sort of rice pudding. As a result, when I first put a Cheerio on their tongues, they gave out a loud scream, probably as the sensation of solid food seemed utterly strange. Shortly after the Cheerio episode, they had some swordfish stew, why, I can't remember, but then it was off to the races. They quickly developed a sense of food adventure, and there's not much they don't like.
“They had a fondness for vegetables and were not especially keen on sweets.” (Could this be because their early diet was devoid of a sweet component, I wondered?) As Connie continued, “I remember at their third birthday party, the menu at the Children's Museum for the Arts was the usual pizza-juice-cake and I had to bring in a platter of crudité for the adults. When the birthday cake was cut, Mei came to me with her piece and tears in her eyes and said ‘Mama, I don't like cake. May I have broccoli instead?’ whereupon we had to scrape the adults off the floor and answer the ‘how'd you get her to do that?’ question.”
It’s more than what’s in your mouth
As little girls, Zoe and Mei also spent considerable time around Connie’s friends who were serious foodies who loved cooking and enjoying food and conversation around the table. Again, developing taste and food preferences is a package deal not just what is in your mouth at the moment. It’s also the surrounding culture.
Connie has noticed two big changes over time for her now 21-year-old daughters: “They tolerate and even like more spice and they're more into sweets. And they are both into baking now so there was a constant flow of sweets over the holidays, though they left most of the eating to their parents. And we need to regulate Zoe's use of red pepper flakes; she will add it to family meals to the point where steam starts rising from our heads.”
Developing a new flavor preference
One final note on taste before I return to thoughts of “Cutie, Kiss me,” and “Be Mine.” Even when you think you have a natural aversion to a specific taste, it is possible to develop a liking for it Take bitter, for example. Many people shy away from bitter foods which is a shame as things such as kale, broccoli rabe, and Brussels sprouts have many health benefits.
Here’s what the pros say about making a taste transition. First, try being open minded about exploring a new taste, such as bitter, even if you consider yourself hypersensitive to it. Second, try, try and then try it again. Sometimes it will take eight exposures to a flavor before your taste buds being accustomed. There are culinary tricks, too, to make the strange taste more palatable such as adding touches of sweetness or fat. Eventually, you’ll get there. It just takes a little craftiness and perseverance to rule the tongue.