Blog for all health-conscious: Fooducate Blog - What’s the Difference between a Food’s Taste and its Flavor?

Thursday, 7 June 2012

Fooducate Blog - What’s the Difference between a Food’s Taste and its Flavor?

What’s the Difference between a Food’s Taste and its Flavor?

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 06:24 AM PDT

photo: Delish.com

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We came across an interesting factoid (taste vs. flavor) while reading about a new scientific discovery. Apparently 5 tastes are not enough, a sixth one has emerged, according to scientists. You’re probably familiar with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Then there’s umami (discovered by Japanese scientists about a hundred years ago). The new proposed taste is … wait for it… FAT!

But we digress. Here’s how taste and flavor differ:

Taste is perceived by the tongue alone.

Flavor is perceived by the tongue and the nose.

(Aroma is perceived by the nose alone)

Which is why we tend to enjoy food less when we are congested. Try pinching your nose shut while eating a highly aromatic food. The experience will be totally different.

To read more about FAT, and how scientists came to the conclusion it is its own unique flavor, read this article.

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