Taste Matters

The human tongue has somewhere up to 8,000 taste buds to inform us when something is sweet, salty, sour or bitter - or, as we usually think of it, delicious or revolting. Tastes differ from one region to the next, and no two people's seem to be the same. But what is it that makes certain people love Roquefort cheese and others think it smells like unwashed feet? How do our experiences of food as infants and even in the womb affect our food preferences? Are cravings for particular foods really a sign that we’re lacking the nutrients that can be found in them? And why, even when we are completely full, do we always have room for dessert?In Taste Matters John Prescott tackles these conundrums and more as he explores why we like the foods we do. Genetics, maternal diet, culture and physiology all play a part in developing our food preferences. These preferences affect our diets more and more, as we are able to eat for pleasure rather than just for nutrition. Changes in the modern diet are very much to blame for the rise of obesity and high blood pressure, along with a number of other health issues. This book shows us why and how our tastes often lead us to eat foods that are not the best for our health. Compelling and accessible, Taste Matters paves the way for a healthier and more sustainable understanding of taste.

John Prescott has been a professor of psychology and sensory science at universities in Australia and New Zealand. He is Editor of Food Quality & Preference and Executive Editor of Chemosensory Perception. He currently runs a consultancy business in the area of food perceptions and preferences. For further information, see www.taste-matters.org.