logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2019
23m 29s

How Do We Taste Food?

Vermont Public
About this episode

Why do we like to eat certain foods? Why do some people like to eat spicy food? And what's up with kids not liking vegetables? Why does pineapple hurt your mouth when you eat too much of it? Why do we taste things and how? Why do different foods taste different? Do animals have the same taste buds as people? In this episode of But Why we get answers to all of those questions from chef, author, and TV personality Chris Kimball, Dr. Leslie Stein of the Monell Chemical Senses Center, and Vermont-based chef and cookbook author Matthew Jennings.

Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slides | Transcript

Up next
Oct 3
Why do horses sleep standing up?
Why are horses so big? Why do horses have tails and manes? How do their legs move? Are their bones in their hooves? What do they eat and how do they run and jump? We tackle those questions and more in this episode all about horses. We’ll also learn a little bit more about the uni ... Show More
30m 55s
Sep 19
When did volcanoes start existing?
Volcanoes have been erupting on Earth for BILLIONS of years, and they’re still creating new landscapes today! Volcanoes can seem mysterious and scary, but people all over the world have learned to live in close proximity to active volcanoes. Today we answer questions you’ve sent ... Show More
26m 1s
Sep 5
How are glaciers formed?
But Why went somewhere really cool - literally - and we’re taking you along! We visited Sólheimajökull, a glacier in southern Iceland and then talked with University of Iceland glaciologist Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir to discover how glaciers are formed, why they can be different co ... Show More
27m 9s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2013
Eating!
In this episode, we ask: Why do some foods taste better to adults than kids? And what happens to food once you’re done tasting it? 
20m 33s
Jun 2021
How do you make a jelly bean taste like vomit?
What gives foods their flavors? How does a Flavorist make one food taste like another? How do you make a plant taste like meat? For free home activities sign-up at www.WhoSmarted.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com ... Show More
13m 59s
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  c ... Show More
5m 5s
Feb 2016
First Foods: Learning to Eat
How do we learn to eat? It may seem like an obvious question, but it’s actually quite a complicated process. Who decided that mushed-up vegetables were the perfect first food—and has that always been the case? What makes us like some foods and hate others—and can we change? Join ... Show More
49m 27s
Apr 2023
Why do we like some foods, but not others?
Do you have a favorite food that your friend doesn't like at all? Do you look at what your parents are eating and say, "No, thank you!" Well, you’re not alone! Lots of people have different food preferences. But why do some people like certain foods and others don’t? And what ... Show More
31m 36s
Sep 2023
First Foods: Learning to Eat (encore)
How do we learn to eat? It may seem like an obvious question, but it's actually quite a complicated process. Who decided that mushed-up vegetables were the perfect first food—and has that always been the case? What makes us like some foods and hate others—and can we change? Join ... Show More
50m 9s
Jun 2018
Heat: The science of cooking pt. 1
We’ve teamed up with America’s Test Kitchen Kids to delve into the scrumptious science of cooking. You’ve sent in so many great cooking questions that we had to spread the answers over four episodes. This is our first installment: HEAT. What crazy chemical reactions does heat tri ... Show More
31m 36s
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
May 2022
Why do we love junk food so much?
Pizza, chips, gummy worms and wings — these are a few of Tai’s favourite things! He just can’t get enough of their sugary, fatty, salty goodness, even though he knows they’re not exactly good *for* you. But why does he find those foods so irresistible in the first place? In this ... Show More
31m 9s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami