For many years the bitter taste was selectively removed from foods, such as kale, endives and Brussels sprouts. However, it is now making waves.
In this article you will discover why bitter flavors are part of a trend that is worth not missing out on.
We tell you about it. Continue reading.
STIMULATE TASTE
What makes bitter a special experience? This flavor is not the most appetizing, but it is undoubtedly authentic and for brave people. The bitter taste is something we have to learn to love, as we all learn to live among contradictions. There is no doubt that children wrinkle their noses at cabbage and similar foods, so perhaps this is a taste for adults only.
When we taste or smell something we are at the end of a chain of chemical reactions and nerves that have been stimulated. The cells responsible for our sense of taste are in the mucous membranes of the tongue and throat. Sour and bitter tastes warn us that the food is not ripe or may not even be in good condition.
Did you know that the salty, sweet or umami taste indicates the level of minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fat? While a single receptor is responsible for detecting sweetness, we possess more than 25 different types of bitterness receptors that help us distinguish between delicate nuances of bitter tastes.
The substances responsible for the bitter taste facilitate digestion, regulate our appetite and help the liver and gallbladder function. They are anti-inflammatory, regulate acidity and have detoxifying effects. Both in the field of natural remedies and in Asian medicine, the positive effects of the natural bitterness of products have been relied upon since time immemorial. Tubers, berries and wild herbs have been the basis of traditional medicine for many centuries.
WHY ARE BITTER FLAVORS REGAINING OUR AFFECTION?
In principle, this taste warns of danger because plants use bitterness to scare away hungry animals and sometimes to indicate that they are also poisonous. So we have good reason to instinctively reject these flavors. This is why we have selectively excluded the bitter taste from many vegetables, and also other products such as endives, cucumbers, zucchini and asparagus have had their acidity removed. We can even find a variety of sweet grapefruits. But bitterness never dies forever, as shown by the exorbitant consumption of coffee (160 liters per person per year) and beer (100 liters). Contemporary drivers of this trend towards bitter taste are often liquid in nature: herbal infusions, absinthe, Aperol Spritz, mate, gin and tonic or a freshly poured cold craft beer. This special flavor is what unites them.
FOR SOME IT IS OBVIOUS, FOR OTHERS… IT GOES TOTALLY UNNOTICED.
Is the bitterness bearable or not? Sensitivity to that taste depends on our genes. Statistically, one in four people will be classified in the group of “supertasters”, i.e. people with an increased sensitivity in the perception of flavors, especially bitter ones. The other 25% will wonder why we give so much thought to this subject, since there is a sector of the population that cannot perceive the bitter taste at all. The rest have a normal perception of flavors, which means that they have a normal sensitivity to bitterness. It is also interesting to know that studies show that the “super-suckers” are less susceptible to sinusitis caused by bacteria. This is because bitter taste receptors are found in the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, where they help detect and repel bacteria.
If you’re a fan of bitter foods, these are some of the healthiest:
Artichoke, endive, grapefruit, kale, lovage, dandelion, endive, chard, Brussels sprouts and arugula.
Tip: To take these foods, add a tablespoon of good quality vegetable oil, such as olive oil. In dressings it helps to reduce the bitter taste. This occurs because the inside of the mouth is covered with a thin film of oil that regulates the reaction of the bitterness receptors.
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