Most of us take it granted that when we bite into a food that we like we will be able to taste it. Yet for countless numbers of people, food has a bland, off taste, or no flavor at all. In fact, the inability to taste food or taste loss is a very real problem that can have serious health consequences .
As people age, the taste loss is a fairly common condition that makes eating a chore as opposed to pleasure. Studies have shown that older people find it more difficult than younger people to identify sweet, bitter, and salty tastes.
No one really knows why this happens, but one theory is that the cells in the nose aren’t replaced as efficiently when we are older. Whatever the cause, the inability to perceive flavor is one of the primary reasons that many older people fail to follow a low fat, fruit and vegetable rich diet that will maintain their energy and health. Very often, people who have lost their sense of taste skip meals or load up on the wrong kinds of food.
When we say a food tastes good, what we really mean is that it smells good, because the two sensations are so closely linked. It is still very much a mystery why some people think certain foods taste good while others cannot stomach the very same items. We do know that when the taste buds are impaired and food has no taste at all, eating becomes a chore.
In fact, studies have shown that some obese people lack the ability to fully taste their food and, as a result they overeat to compesate for that lack, hoping the next bite will be the one with the satisfying taste. Experts also suggest that in some cases, obesity may be due to the fact that foods containing the texture of fat that are also sweet seem to make up for loss of taste and smell.
We also know that certain poisonous substances and decaying foods have a horrible taste, it may be nature’s way to protecting us from eating something that can really harm us.
One man’s poison may indeed be another man’s meat. For example, people of certain cultures may like foods that other cultures disdain, and this strongly suggest that out tastes can be developed or conditioned starting when we are infants. Remember, when we think we are losing our sense of taste, we may really losing our sense of smell. That is particularly true when we are suffering from allergies or colds which block the nasal passages, but thankfully these are temporary crises.
Certain medications can also alter the taste of food, or rob it od its flavor. For example, common drugs such as tetracycline, aspirin, steroids affect the taste buds. Fortunately, when these drugs are discontinued, taste sensation usually returns to normal. Obviously, if you are suffering from the loss of taste and are taking any medication on a regular bases, check with your doctor to determine if the drug could be causing the problem.
Diseases ranging from diabetes and Parkinson’s to liver disorders and Alzheimer’s can also alter both the senses of taste and smell and, as reult, people with these illnesses may be prone to skipping meals, which will leave them in an even more weakened state.
Gender and genetics may also play a part in our ability to taste foods, some people have more taste buds on the trip of the tongue, which means that they have a sharper sense of taste to begin with an , therefore, can afford to lose a bit without suffering.
Women tend to have many more taste buds than men which suggests that sex hormones, including estrogen, play a role in regulating taste perception. A number of studies have shown that taste perception varies with menstruation and preganancy, and some women lose some taste perception at menopause, of find that foods that they once loved have now become distasteful.