Tongue, taste and age. (857 views, 31 replies)
guru
As a child the tastebuds are still developing so there is increased sensitivity. This was to ward off a small child eating anything poisonous. As you age your taste buds grow in size.
If you would like to get a clear view.. on a clean tongue you can swizzle a lil blue food colour and water in your mouth and look under a magnifying glass or mirror. Small is more sensitive and enlarge as we age. Hence growing up and eating.. spicier food, at least until the stomach becomes more sensitive for some.. not all. You may also, something fun to do at the holiday gatherings.. because taste buds size and sensitivity are hereditary. If you have blood relatives and other family members (not blood), conducting mirror shots of the tongues and doing simple blind taste tests.. the results support this.
As far as tomatoes.. whenever someone sends back a restriction on fruits, ie.. allergy, I always, always send the server right back out to ask about tomatoes... and never, not once.. did they say no to tomatoes. ...
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senior guru
My taste has become much more sensitive and discriminating as I get older. Many things I used to enjoy, I now find too sweet or very salty. I suppose there is a reason for that.
senior guru
Different for me,lately. I have found alot of foods I really liked, I do not like anymore (pork,lobster, and shrimp ) hamburg meat (unless it is meatballs) No fish (except haddock), I used to love Cajun swordfish. Also clams, no, no ,no, lol. Things that crawl on the bottom of the ocean (scavengers) just thinking what is in the belly of a clam, makes me gag..
top expert
I eat everything now and was fussy as a child. That makes total sense then.In addition, since I stopped smoking food tastes so much better and stronger too.
@laylaandpaz Yes,i've seen smokers eat--lots of Mexican food.and catsup.good for you,quitting!smoking is THE HARDEST TO QUIT.I knew ex-drug addicts,quit all drugs,but not smoking.Even very successful AA MEMBERS.--couldn't DITCH SMOKING!horrible drug.
expert
i literally made myself to eat more vegetables around age ten, because it would help me lose the chubby middle and be healthier overall. it was on again/off again throughout my teens, but by adulthood i should have been a farmer for all the green, red and yellow stuff in my diet. fresh, raw spinach is my go-to favourite now. i eat it plain from a bag like it was doritos, between meals or whilst preparing dinner.
the stuff that really puts me off today is ethnic food: like what they would usually have to make at home because no restaurant will make money with that smelly, slimy garbage on their menu 
@unbound Oh,you both mean"Mexican food"?I loved GERMAN and Swiss ethnic.But at home,my dad made Chinese food,very less fattening,"ginger beef",Chinese cabbage,it was usually lotsa vegies ANd TINY SLICES OF MEAT.--you cook the meat first,then add the vegies,serve over white steam rice.I hate brown rice,hah.I love Chinese food.--and much Japanese.(not sushi much.)I was taught"do not eat raw animal flesh,any kind."Its too dangerous.--not fish,not eggs, raw.I still stick to that.SAFETY IN THE KITCHEN.
top expert
I had the opportunity to travel for work. I spent the last several years in Thailand and developed a taste for Tom Yum Goong - the spicy shrimp soup. I enjoy quite a few of the Thai food dishes along with some of the middle eastern dishes I had a chance to try while there. When I was younger I would have not have tried different foods. Now I look forward to trying different foods when I travel. 
@Stephen386 Oh ye. My real surprise was garlic butter fried snails and a real smelly cheese. Don't remember the name of the cheese, but would recognise the smell from 20 feet.
@Egor17 You mean "Limburger"?its hard to get,i loved it ripe.its an acquired taste,I wanted it,so i acquired it.now i can't ever find it.
guru
guru
Watermelon? Flavourless pink pulp with too many seeds. Now rockmelon (cantaloupe) or honeydew. Then I need to have a proper face wash after. Can be a bit messy with the beard.
Though the dried and roasted seeds from the water melon are a very tasty snack. Same with pumpkin seeds. Bet most Americans throw away their halloween pumpkin seeds.
@Egor17 hmmm--yer right.we should save the seeds.my friend in Michigan makes Mexican food,so i gave her my Mexican cookbook.--she really makes it,got a hubby.its true about men and their tummies.hee hee
guru
Oh no, I save my pumpkin seeds for roasting. They're great on a salad, and are a common ingredient in many Mexican dishes. mmmmm
I love anything spicy. I eat Sriracha sauce like it's ketchup.
guru
guru
OO ever so serious RB. Food is totally opinion.
Did you know raw brussel sprouts have a burn like chilli? I love them just cooked with vinegar. Have a friend that calls them baby cabbage and is horrified that I eat babies? Though is totally fine with baby peas!
There is just no accounting for taste when it comes to food.
@Egor17 An opinion?? haha 
I don't know of any 3-4 month olds that actually have an opinion about the foods they like and don't like especially when they've not ever eaten before.
I was referring to your reference of "genetic coding", which I disagree with for several reasons.
guru
No accounting..
Boiled cabbage should be banned from the planet.
Raw or pickled is fine.
I would also ban celery if it wasn't for the root bulb (celeriac).
Grated, pressed and dipped in chickpea batter, deep fried (Pakora) Mmm, almost as good as onion pakora.
The worst tasting vegi I ever came across is okra.
guru
@Egor17 Nope. :)
However, you are incorrect about food being an opinion for a baby that's never eaten before and that they are "genetically coded".
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guru
Little known fact. As a young bub you are genetically coded not to eat green things. Far to many of them are highly toxic.
My first awareness of something that should be toxic was the Tomato. As a young thing it was incredibly bitter and they had the cheek to call it a fruit? Funnily enough the plant is a member of the deadly nightshade, so don't eat the leaves.
Now. I grow my own. Much better than store bought. Even have to use a little salt to balance the sweet.
Then of course there are the cheeses. I use 4 categories. Colour, texture and smelliness. Strangely some of the real smelly ones taste good?
One of the few things that has never changed is full fat creamy ice cream. Chocolate with pistachio nuts. MMmmm.
Have you noticed the changes to what makes your taste buds tingle over the years?