We all know the adage:tastes and colors cannot be discussed, quite simply because they cannot be explained. Well that might not be completely true when it comes to food preferences, according to Dr Adam Cunliffe, nutrition expert and professor at London South Bank University.
He explains that the aversion one may have for a particular food is “almost always due to a negative experience in connection with said food. “This experience can be physiological in nature, such as food poisoning, or psychological in nature and dating from childhood. […] We are born liking nothing, apart from breast milk and sweet flavors, tastes are acquired with age. The appearance, the smell, the aromas can be associated with something negative for years “, he says to the site Cosmo UK .
The food that is among the least popular is undoubtedly Brussels sprouts, and the nutritionist has a theory about this phenomenon of general rejection. “A lot of people as adults haven’t learned to appreciate bitter food, and Brussels sprouts are one of them he begins.
This revulsion for bitter flavor is akin to a defense mechanism:for one naturally bitter and healthy plant that grows in the wild, 50 others are bitter and poisonous. For Brussels sprouts, another factor to consider is the smell. “They are part of the cruciferous vegetable family. These have the characteristic of containing a substance that gives them a very particular smell »… and not necessarily pleasant, you have to admit.
This is an important point because taste is above all a matter of smell:when the tongue can only distinguish 5 flavors - sweet, salty, bitter, acid, umami - the "complex organ" that is the nose can capture up to 100,000 different aromas. “We think taste comes from the nose […]. Brussels sprouts have a recognizable pungent smell, perhaps that's why they inspire so much disgust concludes Dr. Cunliffe. We imagine that you have not planned to include vegetables in your New Year's Eve meal? No ? So everything is fine!
