List of Bitter Foods

All students learn early in their educations about the human body's five senses. Sight, smell, hearing, and touch constitute the first four. Taste is one of the five corporeal senses too. There are six generally recognized taste factors that combine to create flavor sensations, with some controversy about the inclusion of the fat taste or the piquant (spicy) taste, which may be a feeling more .

Taste is one of the five corporeal senses. There are six generally recognized taste factors that combine to create flavor sensations, with some controversy about the inclusion of the fat taste or the piquant (spicy) taste, which may be a feeling more than a taste. The sensation of taste originates in the taste buds on the tongue, however the olfactory also contributes to the overall experience. The purpose of taste is to help identify the characteristics of any given food. 1) Sweet- Indicates ripe fruit and carbohydrates. Sweetness is determined by the presence of various sugars including sucrose, fructose, and glucose. Some sweet foods include: Honey, Mango, Carrots, Milk, Dates. 2) Salty-Indicates the presence of NaCl (salt) and other minerals. Saltiness is a measure of sodium content. Potato chips, Packaged processed meals, Table salt, Cheeses, Bacon. 3) Bitter identifies poisonous or overripe leaves. For this reason, it is the most sensitive of tastes, for its role in protecting tasters from possible poisons, as it has a more pragmatic use. Some bitter foods include: Coffee, Cocoa (unsweetened), Citrus peel, Olives (uncured), Quinine (used in tonic water as well as to quantify bitterness). 4) Sour- Indicates acidic materials including unripe fruits, sources of certain vitamins. Some sour foods include: Lemon, Tamarinds, Spoiled milk, Green apples, Vinegar. 5) Fat- Identifies the presence of dietary lipids, an important source of stored energy. Some foods with dietary lipids include: Avocado, Taste buds responsible for determining the various tastes are also located at different points on the tongue. For example, the tip of the tongue is most sensitive to sweet foods, whereas the back of the tongue is most sensitive to bitter foods. Many individuals favor certain tastes over others, which is why some people like foods that others do not. For more information, please see:http://www.eattasteheal.com/ETH_6tastes.htmhttp://www.botanical-online.com/english/Bitterfood.htm