police-ical t1_j21qezy wrote
Let's limit the answer to food/drink taste, which is actually more smell than taste. The brain is always trying to figure out if something in the mouth is good nutritious food or bad poison. In general, bitter and decomposed or moldy things=bad, sweet/salty/fatty/proteiny things=good, and sour is variable. The first time you eat something, you have limited information beyond basic patterns. Young babies need lots of nutrition and have parents to help, so they like all kinds of things, but toddlers are capable of finding something toxic, so they get pickier.
So, the first time you try coffee, your brain's reaction is likely "this is very strongly flavored and bitter, probably poison." Try it a few more times, and your brain gets used to it, confirms nothing bad was associated with it last time, and may start to associate it with positives like mild stimulation. Conversely, if you throw up after eating a food you used to like, it may be a while before you regain your desire for it--now your brain has evidence it was poison and should be avoided.
bloode975 t1_j22dsnw wrote
On the vomiting with a food you used to like, when I was a kid I'd had a bunch of chocolate in the morning, like alot of chocolate, turns out I'd gotten food poisoning the night before and spent the entire day vomiting up chocolate and shitting myself, once you've tasted partly digested chocolate mixed with bile lemme tell you chocolate loses most of its appeal.
giskardwasright t1_j22fk3j wrote
Strawberry ice cream for me. It's been over 35 years and I still don't like it.
bloode975 t1_j22g8gp wrote
Oh I'd cry, I love strawberry icecream
giskardwasright t1_j22gnwm wrote
I like actual strawberries with vanilla ice cream, but that's as far as I'll go. My husband likes strawberry shakes and I tried one a few years ago to see how I felt about it. Still no thank you.
These-Assignment-936 t1_j22kvyj wrote
I got food poisoning after eating lemon meringue pie in 2003. I think in a few years I may be ready to order it again.
These-Assignment-936 t1_j22kwaq wrote
I got food poisoning after eating lemon meringue pie in 2003. I think in a few years I may be ready to order it again.
BlackOpz t1_j238uoh wrote
Chicken alfredo for me. Fancy Shmancy restaurant in NY. WORST food poisoning ever had in my life. Over 10+ years and have never had it again.
cloisteredsaturn t1_j22rq83 wrote
When I was 18 months old I was given some turkey that I ended up getting food poisoning from. It was so bad I was throwing up bile and they had to take me to the ER. I don’t remember it thank god.
It took me years to be able to eat turkey again. Even at 32 I’m still cautious when it comes to lunch meat and poultry, and I’m pretty sure that I have some degree of emetophobia from the situation.
firelizzard18 t1_j27uijr wrote
I got food poisoning a year or so back and I threw up something the color of Gatorade (almost neon yellow). I think it was bile but I really did not expect that color to come out of me.
cloisteredsaturn t1_j27yr2p wrote
Sounds like it was bile. Usually if you’re throwing that up, you don’t have any food left in there but the body’s still trying to get rid of the pathogen.
hux t1_j22hazc wrote
For similar reasons, I can’t even be in the same room as someone eating mussels.
AdiPalmer t1_j22ylsq wrote
Sounds like you'll have to avoid the entire country of Belgium for the rest of your life.
amazingmikeyc t1_j23uowc wrote
Yeah I couldn't drink Ribena for about 5 years after my little sister vomited up a blackcurrent squash/sour milk hybrid all over our sofa and it stank of it for about a month.
Jormungandrs-bite t1_j22ifi4 wrote
That explains why I can't drink rum and coke anymore....
Bachelor parties man
Gotex007 t1_j22rfdi wrote
To be fair to your brain, alcohol is a bad poison.
Bunktavious t1_j2302b1 wrote
There were a number of years in my youth where Vodka smelled like straight up vomit to me, and I know it was entirely psychological.
Duke_De_Luke t1_j23o09x wrote
Sambuca is a big no no. Automatic gag reflexes even if I smell it. Worst drunk of my life, probably 15-20 years ago.
Seri0usJack t1_j243kto wrote
Yo dude same. Is 25 years I cannot even smell it,same with anice or everything associated. Mint and liquirice are fine!
MaxSeven77 t1_j23tsf3 wrote
I agree completely, and I think it actually should be called an "aquired scent" or "aquired flavor" rather than taste. Most people react first to the appearance of the food, then scent of a food (although those two sensory inputs are probably happening at the same time), then the mouth-feel and temperature, and lastely the actual taste.
Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments