The biology of taste and food intake
1992
Schiffman, S.S. | Warwick, Z.S.
The sense of taste plays a crucial role in food selection, nutrient utilization, and energy balance. First, taste influences food selection by serving as an indicator of the food's nutritional value. Consumption of essential micronutrients and avoidance of toxins is achieved by learning associations between food tastes and the physiological consequences of ingestion. Second, taste initiates physiological mechanisms for nutrient utilization. Food-related tastes and smells elicit metabolic responses that prepare the body for the influx of nutrients. Such responses include the secretion of insulin and stomach acids and suppression of adipose tissue lipolysis. Thermogenesis may also be enhanced by tastes and smells. Certain food tastes are selected because they stimulate endogenous opiates. Third, learned associations between food taste and caloric density contribute to regulation of meal size and thus influence energy balance. Recent data indicate that weight gain is enhanced when the opportunity to learn these associations is prevented. The reduced pleasantness of food tastes and smells after a meal contributes to satiety. Taste and smell dysfunction frequently found in the elderly and in patients with a broad range of diseases impairs food selection, nutrient utilization, and energy balance. Addition of flavors to foods for persons with chemosensory disorders can compensate for taste and smell deficiencies and thereby improve nutritional status.
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