Tag: Human senses

According to the National Institutes of Health, humans have a natural preference for sweets, likely rooted in evolutionary biology to seek out energy-rich foods. This innate preference is governed by a complex biological mechanism that explains exactly what causes humans to taste sweetness and drives our desire for sugar and other sweet compounds.

Astronauts often report that food tastes different in space. The primary cause is the change in the sense of smell due to the body's response to the environment.

Evidence from dental calculus shows that Neanderthals ate a diverse diet of plants and cooked foods, challenging the myth of a purely carnivorous "caveman." This insight helps explain how ancient humans knew what to eat by combining learned behaviors, senses, and communal knowledge passed down through generations.

The average adult has anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 taste buds, each containing receptor cells that allow us to detect the world of flavor. Beyond the complex combinations of smell and texture, these sensory organs boil down all food and drink into a handful of core perceptions. So, what are the 5 things humans can taste?

Globally, people consume an average of 3,950 milligrams of sodium daily. However, beyond its nutritional role, why doesn't food taste good without salt? This relates to how taste buds and the brain's reward systems interact with the chemical properties of sodium.

In 2015, researchers at Purdue University proposed that fat should be considered the sixth basic taste, naming it 'oleogustus'. This discovery provides a long-awaited scientific answer to the question, "What is the taste of fat called?" and distinguishes the unique flavor of fatty acids from the familiar sensation of creaminess or richness.