Why do our tastes change with age?
Thanks for asking!
Have you ever avoided a type of food for a long time, assuming you hated it, only to try it out and then end up having something of a revelation?
Think back to when you were a kid and there was a type of vegetable you simply wouldn't go near, let alone eat.
The chances are there's at least one.
It might have been broccoli, Brussels sprouts or spinach, for example.
But you may now have come to enjoy them, and it's actually perfectly normal.
That's because as we get older, our tastes change.
So it's definitely worth giving certain foods a second chance, even if you never liked them in the past.
What actually determines whether we like a food or don't?
Well, it's not just down to our taste buds.
The brain has an important role too.
When we eat, it processes a whole range of information.
Flavour, smell, texture, temperature, along with memories and emotions.
It brings all of that together and decides whether we go back for another mouthful.
Our taste buds detect five basic tastes.
Sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami.
If you've not heard of umami, then take note.
It roughly translates to deliciousness or savoury and was identified in 1908 by Japanese researcher Kikunai Akida.
It enhances other flavours and gives that rich, satisfying depth you find in foods like ripe tomatoes, parmesan or mushrooms.
Taste is in fact a multi-sensory experience involving all five senses.
You can test it yourself.
Try holding your nose while taking a bite of your least favorite food.
Children sometimes do that instinctively when they're being pressured into eating something they don't fancy.
And it does genuinely work in some cases.
The flavour is completely altered.
Why does our perception of taste change over time then?
For a start, kids have more taste buds than adults, which make them especially sensitive to flavours, particularly bitterness.
That's one reason why kids often turn their noses up at vegetables early on.
Dieticians say that our sense of taste develops rapidly up to the age of five, which makes early childhood a crucial window for introducing a wide variety of flavors, ideally through repeated exposure later in life.
Several factors can affect how we perceive taste.
Hormonal changes play a part, as levels of estrogen and androgens gradually decline, which reduces our sensitivity to flavors.
Our sense of smell also tends to weaken with age and since smell is closely linked to taste, there's a noticeable impact.
On top of that, certain medications, smoking and some medical conditions can all alter how food tastes.
That's worth bearing in mind, as many older people find food less flavorful and may compensate by adding more salt or sugar, which can worsen conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
Possible to dislike a food at one stage of life and enjoy it later on.
Absolutely.
And it happens all the time.
Research from the United States Departments of Agriculture and Health suggests it can take between eight and 10 attempts before we start to appreciate a particular food.
The brain learns, adapts and builds new positive associations.
Something that put you off as a child, perhaps because it was poorly prepared, can still become something you genuinely enjoy in a different context, at another point in life.
There you have it!
Now you know why our tastes change with age.
In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines.
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