We all know that taste is subjective. It is like what we find in good in a Rolex watch winder may be different from the other. Just like in foods, what one person finds delicious may leave another person indifferent. But the truth is, there are certain tastes that appeal more to most people than others. The key to unlocking your potential as a food connoisseur and increasing your enjoyment of eating comes down to training your taste buds.
What are the Different Tastes?
When you eat something, you are experiencing a complex combination of tastes. Like we mentioned earlier, different people will perceive this tasting experience differently and find some flavors more appealing than others. The five basic tastes that humans can experience are:
- Sweet
- Salty
- Sour
- Umami
- Bitter
The intensity of each of these flavors varies from person to person. Two of these tastes are chemical reactions that take place in your mouth, while the remaining three are more related to smells that are picked up by your nose and sent to your brain via your olfactory bulb.
How to Train Your Taste Buds?
The first step towards improving your tasting abilities is to start paying closer attention to the flavors you eat and drink each day. Next time you eat or drink anything, take your time to experience the flavor it imparts on your palate. This can be done by chewing your food slowly and consciously tasting each bite before swallowing it.
Start to pay attention to the different tastes you experience and start to recognize what they are. Always keep a notepad with you so you can write down the flavors your taste buds pick up. Doing this will help you to identify specific tastes with more ease in the future.
Boosting Your Sense of Smell
Your sense of smell can also play a crucial role in your ability to taste food. If you can’t smell a given flavor, you are less likely to experience it. Many people have naturally impaired senses of smell, which can make eating and drinking less enjoyable since they can’t experience all the flavors that are present in the foods they consume.
Boosting your sense of smell will make your tasting experience much more enjoyable. You can do this by simply smelling some scents before eating a meal. Some scents that can help you enhance your sense of smell include baking bread, coffee, fresh herbs, and vanilla.