Role of sense of taste
Ever experienced losing your sense of taste? Horrible day, isn’t it?
Gustatory system or the sense of taste, along with our sense of smell, plays a key role in experiencing taste and taking pleasure from savoring your favorite pizza to sipping your go-to-drink.
Physiologically, it prepares our body for digesting food by triggering our salivary glands and digestive juices. More importantly, it warns us away from food that may cause disturbances in our gastrointestinal organs such as the stomach.
Different kinds of taste
The complexity of our sense of taste makes us enjoy the different combinations of flavor our food has. There are five universally accepted basic tastes that stimulate our taste receptors:
- Sweet;
- Salty;
- Sour;
- Bitter; and
- Umami/savory.
Learning to play with flavors makes your recipes even more festive, which is important for the upcoming holiday season.
Tips on how to maximize the properties of the basic flavors to enhance recipes
Sweet
When used in a combination, sweet complements well with the other basic tastes. Adding sweetness such as a drizzle of sweet Primo Oil’s balsamic vinegar to a traditionally salty vegetable dish like roasted Brussel sprouts, goat cheese crostini, or grilled chicken pizza would take it to the next level.
Salty
Salt is a necessary component to the human diet and enhances the flavor of foods. As a flavor enhancer, adding a pinch of salt is necessary to amplify the sweet notes.
Sour
This mouth-puckering sensation is common in citric fruits such as lemons and oranges. Try adding lemon or orange zest to vinegar or cream-based dressings; or simply zest the top of your salad. Featuring balsamic vinegar in salad dressings is a good idea too.
Bitter
Although commonly perceived as toxic or unpleasant, a little bitterness can make food more interesting. Furthermore, there are cases where some bitterness could be healthy such as antioxidants, which account for the bitter taste in dark chocolate and coffee. Dark chocolate shavings could be a great addition on top of your favorite holiday dessert.
Umami or Savory
Umami is an appetitive taste, sometimes described as savory or meaty. Although discovered in the 20th century, it was not accepted as a basic taste in the West until 1985. You may increase umami flavor in your dish by including mushrooms to your traditional holiday stuffing recipe.
Our sense of taste is indeed a gift; just like any other present, it is made to be taken care of. When we get sick, our sense of taste is affected, hence, it is important to boost our immune system.
Choosing the ingredients that are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants always gives a headstart against viruses that cause illness. Primo’s Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar carry these essential nutrients as it is made from carefully picked and quality ingredients. Moreover, it has a wide range of flavors and pantry items that you could feast on.
Shop all 22 flavors of Primo’s Olive Oil, 28 flavors of Balsamic Vinegar, and a long list of pantry items for your nutritious festivities.
