The human tongue prefers salty, sweet, and fatty flavors to the more subtle tastes of whole grains, vegetables, and other healthy foods. Fatty, deep-fried foods, such as hot dogs and French fries, are simply much tastier than bland foods, so we develop a liking for them easily. Also, the body craves salt, because it needs it to survive (salt helps tissues stay hydrated, and serves other vital functions). And sweets, fatty meats, and other high-calorie foods pack a lot of energy, so our bodies crave them, too.
Another reason why we like fatty foods is because they cause the brain to release oxytocin, a powerful hormone that has a calming and relaxing influence, into the bloodstream. That’s actually why they are called “comfort foods.”
Food manufacturers that make breakfast cereals, potato chips, candy bars, and other junk food are well aware of our cravings, and they tailor the tastes of their foods to trigger our addiction to sweets, salts, and fats. They also present and display their products in brightly colored packaging, which attracts buyers’ attention – and especially that of children.
Buyer, Beware!
Many food manufacturers include color additives in their foods, as bright, vibrant colors look more appealing to consumers. Additionally, additives make foods taste better and last longer on the shelves.
However, research has shown that many of these additives are unhealthy. Although some additives have been shown to be safe, many have not been tested. An increasing number of studies suggests that some food additives can interfere with a child’s hormones, growth, and development, and are responsible in part for a rise in child obesity and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
Feed Me More!
Fats from junk food trigger the brain to want more food. This effect can last for several days!
Designer Packaging
Rabbi Avigdor Miller, zt”l, was famous for constantly finding examples of the kindness of Hashem. One example he often gave was how Hashem created fruits in such attractive colors.
A key to survival in the olden times was the ability to recognize foods that contained usable energy or nutrition. Many such foods appear in bright colors, such as apples, oranges, bananas, carrots, grapes, and berries. Back then, color was a reliable indicator of a healthy food, and indeed, it still is today. That is why, when apples, bananas, or berries spoil, they lose their bright colors.
Food manufacturers picked up on this fact and, as mentioned before, they use brightly colored packaging as a marketing tool to attract customers. Incredibly, they are exploiting the well-based notion that colorful foods are healthy foods!
Fact or Fiction??
Sugar makes kids hyper.
Believe it or not, this is false! In every study that’s been done, no link has been found between sugar consumption and behavior. So where does this myth come from? Sugar intake increases at birthday parties and other happy occasions, but it is the excitement associated with the event that causes the wild behavior, not the sugar.
How Does My Tongue Taste Food?
The tongue is a muscular organ that helps you speak, chew, swallow, and taste. It is also the main sensory organ of the sense of taste.
The upper surface of the tongue is coated with hundreds of tiny lumps and bumps, called papillae (puh-PILL-ee). There are up to 10,000 taste buds on top of these papillae. Although you can look in the mirror and see the papillae on your tongue, taste buds can only be seen under a microscope. More than four-fifths of the taste buds lie on the tongue’s upper surface, sides, and tips. The rest are scattered on the inner lips, inside the cheeks, on the roof of the mouth, and in the throat.
Taste buds are made up of taste receptor cells, which contain tiny hairs called microvilli. When something touches the hairs, the taste receptor cells are able to detect the chemicals in the food that give it a certain taste. They then send a message to the brain that tells it whether the taste is sweet, salty, bitter, sour, or a savory taste called umami (examples of umami foods are broths and meat). Everything you eat is a mixture of these five tastes.
You use your sense of smell to taste food, too. Your brain receives messages about the food from your tongue and your nose — and usually your eyes, as well!
Senior Citizen Discount?
The number of taste buds decreases as one ages. Also, each remaining taste bud begins to shrink, and sensitivity to the five tastes often declines after age sixty. In addition, aging causes the mouth to produce less saliva, which causes a condition known as dry mouth. This also can affect one’s sense of taste.
Just Joking
Q: What do tongues call their friends with whom they go out to eat?
A: Taste Buds!
Tongue Twister
The tongue is the most flexible muscular organ in the body! It also contains eight muscles. Four of them aren’t attached to bones. These muscles let you change the shape of your tongue. The other four muscles are attached to bones; they allow you to change your tongue’s position.