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Getting Used to Bitter Vegetables

If you are one of those people who don’t like bitter tasting vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, radishes, and arugula then you might be interested to know that new research published in Chemical Senses suggests you might get used to the bitter taste if you eat them more often.

Evidently while we might think we don’t like the taste of a bitter vegetable our tongues might still be thinking about it. While the study wasn’t on humans it is interesting that the research found that trying more bitter foods changes proteins in our saliva that govern how we discern the way food tastes. Possibly repeated exposure helps us adapt to the flavors and help to change our taste buds minds.

So if you don’t like these very healthy vegetables I’d suggest you keep trying – and not just once or twice. Try preparing them different ways with herbs, spices and olive oil. Maybe you will eventually come to like them. Did you like alcoholic beverages like beer or wine, or even coffee the first time you tried them? Or did you gradually acclimate to the taste?

posted on 11/18/2019