Neurogastronomy: eating with the palate, an act of the brain

Food and neuroscience, closer than ever.

In different articles of Psychology and Mind we have already dealt with topics related to the Psychology of Nutrition.

A field that is becoming essential nowadays, since the culture of aesthetics makes the support of psychology necessary to avoid pathologies or eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.

What is neurogastronomy?

In the treatment of obesity no one would doubt its usefulness, as individuals with this condition often suffer from comorbidity problems with certain psychological disorders that can interfere in 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, as some patients undergoing dietary therapeutic treatment require referral to a psychologist in order to be able to successfully complete the treatment in the 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.In recent years, interest in neurogastronomy has been growing, as scientific and technological progress has made it possible to investigate in greater depth the processes that take place in our body and mind around food. Eating is not only an instinctive act, but the five senses come into play, as well as certain psychological aspects such as expectations, memory or emotions.

Eating with the palate, an act of the brain

Eating with the palate is an act of the brain, which is why everyone has a different and subjective interpretation of flavors. But first of all, to understand the concept of palate, it is necessary to have clear the difference between taste y taste.

Differentiating between taste and flavor

The taste is one of our five senses like smell, hearing, sight and touch, and is what we experience when food comes into contact with our tongue and other surfaces of the mouth, and can be five: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. Recognizing taste, however, is more than just recognizing flavor. taste. Although there are only five basic modalities of taste, they combine in different ways and are influenced by the other senses (e.g. 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 nerve receptors specialized for this task, which are the taste buds.The taste buds transform the sensory stimulus (taste) into an electrical impulse, called an action potential, which is transmitted to the neurons connected to these receptors. 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 by its specific nerve pathway. In the brain this information is received and processed, becoming conscious. The brain also integrates and compares the different properties of food: taste, flavor, smell, texture.... That is why, when we eat a chocolate ice cream, we feel the temperature, the texture or the shape.

The experience of eating also involves memory, emotions and expectations.

Not only that, but when we savor food, we also taste it. other brain areas related to memory, expectation or emotions are involved, which is why we are able to remember our childhood when we go back to those cookies we used to eat at grandma's house.That is why we are able to remember our childhood when we go back to those cookies we used to eat as children at grandma's house.

Eating is not only an act of survival. Chefs and gastronomy experts have taken note of this and are aware of the importance of all the senses in the experience of taste, because they know that if it were not for the interpretations of the senses, we would not be able to enjoy the taste of food. They know that if it were not for the interpretations that our neurons make of external stimuli, gastronomy would not even exist..

In the neurogastronomy line of research, science in recent years has made several findings, such as the fact that culture influences our perception of flavors, or that appearance is a determining factor when tasting food: the shape of the utensils with which we are going to eat, the presentation and color of the dishes, and even the price of food or drinks (e.g. wine), affect our perception of flavors.

The role of nutrition in emotional balance

Psychologists have not only been interested in neurogastronomy, but also 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, is important to maintain emotional balance.

What we eat affects our mind in a direct way.. For example, by providing the nutrients and macronutrients (omega 3, tryptophan, carbohydrates...) necessary for a correct nutritional balance. An unbalanced diet can produce specific deficiencies that manifest themselves through symptoms or sensations such as apathy, listlessness, irritability, nervousness, fatigue or lack of attention.

But our diet can also affect our mind indirectly, for example, by helping us to 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 gaining momentum. It is the "mood food" (or kitchen of happiness), since its followers claim that it contributes to a greater general well-being and increases mood..

Mood food is composed of different foods that increase the production of chemicals (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 is involved 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, soybeans, nuts, chocolate...

Science affirms that low levels of this neurotransmitter are related to negative moods and depression. Therefore, individuals with depressive disorders or emotional problems often turn to food, especially chocolate, to feel better and calm their moods. The lack of serotonin causes various negative effects on the body, such as anguish, 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 it establishes the balance between other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and noradrenaline.. These neurotransmitters are important as they are related to distress, anxiety or eating disorders.