The Connection Between Taste and the Brain

When taste information reaches the brain, it is categorized in to excitation or inhibition. If a sour taste is strongly perceived, th at sensation is also strongly expressed. The brain functions simpl y: when perception is weak, the response is equally weak. Howev er, as taste perception increases, the brain becomes busy processi ng the information. The thought of eating food triggers a feeling o f pleasure. The dopamine hormone is released 30 minutes before eating. Neurotransmitters that facilitate neuronal activity are pro duced through repeated recognition.

When we chew food, the hippocampus and frontal lobe are sti mulated. Chewing thoroughly has been recognized since the hun ter-gatherer era as a way to stimulate the brain. Harvard Medical School neurosurgeon Dr. John J. Ratey stated, “The frontal lobe i s the home base of the brain’s great central processor, responsible for working memory, motor planning, controlling competing stimuli, and regulating thoughts and actions.”

When we eat, we use many senses, activating the right brain. Greater sensory focus means more right-brain activity. Prolonge d focus leads to a state of calm, during which alpha waves are pro duced. After eating, the lingering sense of satisfaction is influenc ed by this. The more alpha waves the brain produces, the higher t he purity of happiness.

Neuroscientist Shigeo Haruyama asserts that the right brain’s latent power is more than 100,000 times greater than that of the left brain. Using the right brain involves engaging more of the se nses, and the more we savor our food, the longer the perception t ime becomes. When enjoying taste, the right brain’s activity incre ases. Athletes and artists are known for heavily relying on their se nses, and gourmets also utilize a great deal of sensory perception.

Office workers and students tend to use their left brain more. Emotions tied to rational thinking come from the left brain. A bal ance between left and right brain usage is necessary. To achieve t his balance, it’s important to engage the senses. Most people live l eft-brain-dominated lives, which leads to an over-reliance on con ceptual thinking. To add intuitive abilities to this conceptual thinking, the right brain must be engaged. Eating is an opportunity to utilize the right brain.

In Lee Yu-myung-ho’s “Brain Power Recharge,” he states, “Th e taste center is widely distributed throughout the brain, and app etite is the greatest survival instinct, fulfilling more than just the body’s nutritional and energy needs. Seeing, smelling, savoring, a nd chewing food activate vast areas of the brain. Conversely, peo ple with diminished brain function often have dulled or weakene d taste.”

For the sensory center to respond effectively, the brain’s nervo us system must be actively engaged. Strong concentration is requ ired to fully engage the brain, and mealtimes naturally provide su ch focus. The brain remembers the moments when the nervous s ystem is activated, making our instinctive responses more prono unced while eating.
The brain desires optimal functionality for survival, which is why it seeks to operate smoothly. Each time we eat, the brain is b usy processing various sensory inputs, but when we enjoy our food, it becomes even busier.