Salty and Sweet

From birth, saltiness is built into our taste perceptions as an attractive taste.


Just as addictive drugs activate brain mechanisms that make them hard to resist, a strong desire for salty flavors compels us to say "Pass the salt."


Children, in particular, crave intense sweet, sour, and salty tastes. This makes them especially susceptible to the outlaws of obesity - sweet foods, salt and fat.

adapted from Neurogastronomy 

How the Brain Creates Flavor and Why It Matters

by Gordon M. Shepherd

Supermarket Effect

"The variety of food types and flavors encourages overeating. The brain is always interested in something new or changing. Eating the same food or flavor, we quickly become full and bored with eating. But at a Thanksgiving dinner or a buffet or banquet, it is easy to find stimulation for renewed eating."

Neurogastronomy 

How the Brain Creates Flavor and Why It Matters

by Gordon M. Shepherd

Artwork: Supermarket Blur