Neurogastronomy: Eating With The Palate, An Act Of The Brain
In different articles of Psychology and Mind We have already discussed topics related to Nutrition Psychology.
A field that becomes essential today, since the culture of aesthetics makes the support of psychology necessary to avoid pathologies or eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.
In the treatment of obesity, no one would doubt its usefulness, since individuals with this condition usually suffer comorbidity problems with certain psychological disorders that can interfere with the evolution and treatment of their improvement program and, therefore, it is necessary to detect them. Psychologists can work with other nutrition and dietetics professionals in certain circumstances, since some patients who undergo diet therapy treatment require referral to a psychologist in order to successfully materialize the treatment in nutritional intervention.
But psychology applied to nutrition is not only important for pathological treatment, but is also useful in normal conditions. In recent years, interest in neurogastronomy has been growing, since scientific and technological advances have allowed us to delve more deeply into the processes that develop in our body and mind around food. Eating is not only an instinctive act, but the five senses come into play, in addition to certain psychological aspects such as expectations, memory or emotions.
Eating with the palate, an act of the brain
Eat with the palate It is an act of the brain, that is why everyone has a different and subjective interpretation of flavors. But first of all, to understand the concept of palate, we must be clear about the difference between taste and flavor.
Differentiating between taste and flavor
He taste It is one of our five senses such as smell, hearing, sight and touch, and it is what we experience when food comes into contact with our tongue and other surfaces of the mouth, and there can be five: sweet, sour, bitter , salty and umami. Now, recognizing the flavor is more than just recognizing the taste Although there are only five basic taste modalities, they combine in different ways and are influenced by the other senses (for example, smell and sight) providing a wide variety of sensory experiences.
In summary, it can be said that taste information is collected in the tongue, an organ specialized in its reception, specifically in its specialized nerve receptors for this task, which are the taste buttons. These transform the sensory stimulus (taste) into an electrical impulse, called action potential, which is transmitted to the neurons connected to these receptors and carried to the brain through its specific nerve pathway. This information is received and processed in the brain, becoming conscious. But also, in the brain it integrates and compares the different properties of food: its taste, its flavor, its smell, its texture… Therefore, when we eat chocolate ice cream, we feel the temperature, texture or shape.
Memory, emotions and expectations also intervene in the experience of eating.
Not only that, but when we taste food, we also other brain areas related to memory, expectations or emotions intervene that’s why we are able to remember our childhood when we go back to eating those cookies that we used to eat as children at grandma’s house.
And eating is not only an act of survival. Chefs and gastronomy experts have taken note of this, who are aware of the importance of all the senses in the experience of flavor, since They know that if it were not for the interpretations that our neurons make of external stimuli, gastronomy would not even exist
In the line of neurogastronomy research, science in recent years has made different findings, such as that culture influences our perception of flavors, or that appearance is decisive when it comes to savoring food: the shape The utensils with which we are going to eat, the presentation and color of the dishes, and even the price of food or drinks (for example, wine), affect our perception of flavors.
Psychologists have not only been interested in neurogastronomy, but have been interested in its relationship with emotions and well-being for more than a decade. Nutrition affects our mind in different ways: our ability to concentrate, our memory, our emotional well-being or our mood. A healthy diet, along with healthy habits, are important to maintain emotional balance.
What we eat affects our mind directly For example, providing the nutrients and macronutrients (omega 3, tryptophan, carbohydrates…) necessary for a correct nutritional balance. An unbalanced diet can produce specific deficiencies that are manifested by symptoms or sensations such as apathy, reluctance, irritability, nervousness, tiredness or lack of attention.
But our diet can also affect our mind indirectly, for example, by helping us look better. On the other hand, emotional balance also makes it easier for us to follow healthy habits. If we are stressed or sad, it becomes more difficult to eat a healthy diet.
Mood Food: happy foods
For a few years now, a gastronomic trend has been successful. It is the “mood food” (or kitchen of happiness), because Its followers claim that it contributes to greater general well-being and increases mood
Mood food is made up of different foods that increase the production of chemical substances (called neurotransmitters) that influence our mood, such as endorphins or serotonin.
Serotonin, a key neurotransmitter
Serotonin, which is derived from an amino acid called tryptophan, sends messages within the brain and through the nervous system, and participates in many processes such as regulating mood or appetite. Since the body does not produce tryptophan, it must be obtained from the diet. It is found in different foods: chicken, milk, cheese, fish, eggs, tofu, soy, nuts, chocolate…
Science affirms that low levels of this neurotransmitter are related to negative moods and depression. For this reason, individuals with depressive disorders or emotional problems often go in search of food, especially chocolate, to feel better and calm their mood. The lack of serotonin causes different negative effects on the body, such as anxiety, sadness or irritability. It is often said that foods rich in this amino acid act as natural antidepressants.
This neurotransmitter has an important function in the brain since establishes the balance between other neurotransmitters such as dopamine or norepinephrine These neurotransmitters are important as they are related to distress, anxiety or eating disorders.
