Many of us describe ourselves as having a sweet tooth. But science is now unlocking the secrets of why having a well-developed taste and tolerance to bitter foods could have a wealth of health benefits. But even with their many health benefits, the bitterness of foods such as broccoli, spinach and turnip can put people off. Now new research finds that the ta ... Show More
Jun 1
Tea, L‑theanine and a calmer mind
After water, tea is the most popular drink in the world. We turn to it for comfort, for a break in the day, and increasingly, for its claimed mood‑calming powers. Scroll through social media and you’ll find no shortage of claims that tea, or more so one of its bioactive compounds ... Show More
11m 31s
Mar 2026
How berries help build a better brain
One of the best guides to food variety is colour. And for colour, there’s a group of natural plant chemicals called anthocyanins that are getting a lot of attention for their potential benefits on the brain. Anthocyanins are the pigments that give red, purple, and blue plants the ... Show More
13m 9s
Sep 2015
The Bitter Truth
It’s one of the five basic tastes, along with salty, sweet, sour, and umami. It’s also the least popular and the most mysterious. “That tastes bitter” is not usually a compliment, and yet scientists are increasingly concerned that by banishing bitter from our diets, we’re affecti ... Show More
45m 23s
Jul 2019
Why We Like the Foods We Like (SOP86)
Why do some people scarf down anchovies by the pound while others recoil at the thought of a tuna fish sandwich? Why do the textures of certain foods, like mushrooms, turn people off? Not only is taste a biologically complex experience, it is quite psychological. Our guest is psy ... Show More
53m 17s
Sep 2023
Why do our tastes change as we get older?
Think back to when you were a kid and there was a type of vegetable you simply wouldn’t go near, let alone eat. It might have been broccoli, Brussels sprouts or spinach for example.
Or perhaps another type of food like seafood, which now as an adult you actually quite like, or ... Show More
5m 5s