The Times Australia
Thursday, April 3, 2025 3:53:37 AM
The Times World News

.
The Times Real Estate

.

Hate salad or veggies? Just keep eating them. Here’s how our tastebuds adapt to what we eat

  • Written by Emma Beckett, Senior Lecturer (Food Science and Human Nutrition), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle
Hate salad or veggies? Just keep eating them. Here’s how our tastebuds adapt to what we eat

Do you hate salad? It’s OK if you do, there are plenty of foods in the world, and lots of different ways to prepare them.

But given almost all of us don’t eat enough vegetables[1], even though most of us (81%) know[2] eating more vegetables is a simple way to improve our health, you might want to try.

If this idea makes you miserable, fear not, with time and a little effort you can make friends with salad.

Read more: Feeling bloated, hungry or bored after salad? These tips might help[3]

Why don’t I like salads?

It’s an unfortunate quirk of evolution that vegetables are so good for us but they aren’t all immediately tasty to all of us. We have evolved to enjoy the sweet or umami (savoury) taste of higher energy foods, because starvation is a more immediate risk than long-term health.

Vegetables aren’t particularly high energy but they are jam-packed with dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals, and health-promoting compounds called bioactives.

Those bioactives are part of the reason vegetables taste bitter. Plant bioactives, also called phytonutrients, are made by plants to protect themselves against environmental stress and predators. The very things that make plant foods bitter, are the things that make them good for us.

Unfortunately, bitter taste evolved to protect us from poisons, and possibly from over-eating one single plant food. So in a way, plant foods can taste like poison.

Young boy eating a carrot
For some of us vegetables are very bitter. Shutterstock

For some of us, this bitter sensing is particularly acute, and for others it isn’t so bad. This is partly due to our genes. Humans have at least 25 different receptors[4] that detect bitterness, and we each have our own genetic combinations. So some people really, really taste some bitter compounds while others can barely detect them.

This means we don’t all have the same starting point when it comes to interacting with salads and veggies. So be patient with yourself. But the steps toward learning to like salads and veggies are the same regardless of your starting point.

Read more: We're told to 'eat a rainbow' of fruit and vegetables. Here's what each colour does in our body[5]

It takes time

We can train our tastes because our genes and our receptors aren’t the end of the story. Repeat exposures[6] to bitter foods can help us adapt over time. Repeat exposures help our brain learn that bitter vegetables aren’t posions.

And as we change what we eat, the enzymes and other proteins in our saliva change[7] too. This changes how different compounds in food are broken down and detected by our taste buds. How exactly this works isn’t clear, but it’s similar to other behavioural cognitive training[8].

Read more: Food as medicine: why do we need to eat so many vegetables and what does a serve actually look like?[9]

Add masking ingredients

The good news is we can use lots of great strategies to mask the bitterness of vegetables, and this positively reinforces our taste training.

Salt[10] and fat[11] can reduce the perception of bitterness, so adding seasoning and dressing can help make salads taste better instantly. You are probably thinking, “but don’t we need to reduce our salt and fat intake?” – yes, but you will get more nutritional bang-for-buck by reducing those in discretionary foods like cakes, biscuits, chips and desserts, not by trying to avoid them with your vegetables.

Strawberry and leaf salad in a bowl Fruits can add sweetness and juiciness to salads. dovile ramoskaite/unsplash[12]

Adding heat[13] with chillies or pepper can also help by acting as a decoy to the bitterness. Adding fruits to salads adds sweetness and juiciness, this can help improve the overall flavour and texture balance, increasing enjoyment.

Pairing foods[14] you are learning to like with foods you already like can also help.

The options for salads[15] are almost endless, if you don’t like the standard garden salad you were raised on, that’s OK, keep experimenting.

Experimenting with texture[16] (for example chopping vegetables smaller or chunkier) can also help in finding your salad loves.

Read more: Frozen, canned or fermented: when you can't shop often for fresh vegetables, what are the best alternatives?[17]

Challenge your biases

Challenging your biases can also help the salad situation. A phenomenon called the “unhealthy-tasty intuition” makes us assume tasty foods aren’t good for us, and that healthy foods will taste bad. Shaking that assumption off can help you enjoy your vegetables more.

When researchers labelled vegetables with taste-focused labels[18], priming subjects for an enjoyable taste, they were more likely to enjoy them compared to when they were told how healthy they were.

The bottom line

Vegetables are good for us[19], but we need to be patient and kind with ourselves when we start trying to eat more.

Try working with biology and brain, and not against them.

And hold back from judging yourself or other people if they don’t like the salads you do. We are all on a different point of our taste-training journey.

References

  1. ^ almost all of us don’t eat enough vegetables (www.aihw.gov.au)
  2. ^ most of us (81%) know (hw.qld.gov.au)
  3. ^ Feeling bloated, hungry or bored after salad? These tips might help (theconversation.com)
  4. ^ 25 different receptors (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  5. ^ We're told to 'eat a rainbow' of fruit and vegetables. Here's what each colour does in our body (theconversation.com)
  6. ^ Repeat exposures (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  7. ^ saliva change (www.eurekalert.org)
  8. ^ behavioural cognitive training (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  9. ^ Food as medicine: why do we need to eat so many vegetables and what does a serve actually look like? (theconversation.com)
  10. ^ Salt (theconversation.com)
  11. ^ fat (pubs.acs.org)
  12. ^ dovile ramoskaite/unsplash (unsplash.com)
  13. ^ heat (theconversation.com)
  14. ^ Pairing foods (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  15. ^ options for salads (en.wikipedia.org)
  16. ^ texture (www.heartandstroke.ca)
  17. ^ Frozen, canned or fermented: when you can't shop often for fresh vegetables, what are the best alternatives? (theconversation.com)
  18. ^ taste-focused labels (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  19. ^ Vegetables are good for us (www.tandfonline.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/hate-salad-or-veggies-just-keep-eating-them-heres-how-our-tastebuds-adapt-to-what-we-eat-214583

The Times Features

Understanding the Dangers of Ignoring a Gas Leak

Gas leaks are silent threats lurking within both homes and workplaces. A gas leak occurs when natural gas or any other gaseous substance escapes from a pipeline or containment. T...

Can You Sell Your House Privately in Queensland? Here’s How

Selling a house privately in Queensland is entirely possible and can be a cost-effective alternative to using a real estate agent. While agents provide valuable expertise, their co...

Itinerary to Maximize Your Two-Week Adventure in Vietnam and Cambodia

Two weeks may not seem like much, but it’s just the right time for travelers to explore the best of Vietnam and Cambodia. From the bustling streets of Hanoi to the magnificent te...

How to Protect Your Garden Trees from Wind Damage in Australia

In Australia's expansive landscape, garden trees hold noteworthy significance. They not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of our homes but also play an integral role in the local...

Brisbane Homeowners Warned: Non-Compliant Flexible Hoses Pose High Flood Risk

As a homeowner in Brisbane, when you think of the potential for flood damage to your home, you probably think of weather events. But you should know that there may be a tickin...

Argan Oil-Infused Moroccanoil Shampoo: Nourish and Revitalize Your Hair

Are you ready to transform your hair from dull and lifeless to vibrant and full of life? Look no further than the luxurious embrace of Argan Oil-Infused Moroccanoil Shampoo! In a...

Times Magazine

"Eternal Nurture" by Cara Barilla: A Timeless Collection of Wisdom and Healing

Renowned Sydney-born author and educator Cara Barilla has released her latest book, Eternal Nurture, a profound collection of inspirational quotes designed to support mindfulness, emotional healing, and personal growth. With a deep commitment to ...

How AI-Driven SEO Enhancements Can Improve Headless CMS Content Visibility

Whereas SEO (search engine optimization) is critical in the digital landscape for making connections to content, much of it is still done manually keyword research, metatags, final tweaks at publication requiring a human element that takes extensiv...

Crypto Expert John Fenga Reveals How Blockchain is Revolutionising Charity

One of the most persistent challenges in the charity sector is trust. Donors often wonder whether their contributions are being used effectively or if overhead costs consume a significant portion. Traditional fundraising methods can be opaque, with...

Navigating Parenting Arrangements in Australia: A Legal Guide for Parents

Understanding Parenting Arrangements in Australia. Child custody disputes are often one of the most emotionally charged aspects of separation or divorce. Parents naturally want what is best for their children, but the legal process of determining ...

Blocky Adventures: A Minecraft Movie Celebration for Your Wrist

The Minecraft movie is almost here—and it’s time to get excited! With the film set to hit theaters on April 4, 2025, fans have a brand-new reason to celebrate. To honor the upcoming blockbuster, watchfaces.co has released a special Minecraft-inspir...

The Ultimate Guide to Apple Watch Faces & Trending Wallpapers

In today’s digital world, personalization is everything. Your smartwatch isn’t just a timepiece—it’s an extension of your style. Thanks to innovative third-party developers, customizing your Apple Watch has reached new heights with stunning designs...

LayBy Shopping