A matter of taste

Taste is the sensation of a flavour perceived in the mouth and throat on contact with a substance (Oxford English Dictionary, 2014).

It is one of the five senses (the others being smell, touch, vision and hearing), which help all animals interpret the world around them. Our ancestors used their taste to distinguish between safe and harmful food. For example, a sour taste can sometimes be pleasant, but in large quantities it can be more unpleasant and can also be an indication of over ripe food, such as fruit or rotten meat; this can be dangerous to the body because of harmful bacteria that can make us ill. In the same way, a bitter taste can sometimes interpret compounds as poisons. Why are most medicines bitter in taste? This is because in fact they are poisons, and if we take too much they will ultimately harm us. Although our taste can warn against harmful food, they are also important in searching out foods high in nutrients. A sweet taste can signal the presence of carbohydrates, which enables the body to make glucose, giving the body energy.