healthy ways to make food taste better
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Healthy Ways to Make Food Taste Better
Healthy food doesn't have to mean taste-free food if you
follow these tips!
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We often try to make food taste better by adding extra salt and
fat, but too much of these ingredients can start to take a toll on
our health.
Skip the Salt
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We all have personal rituals we do throughout the day — maybe
it’s your specific morning playlist or you can’t fall asleep until you
double-check the locks — and one Harvard study found those
who performed rituals before eating enjoyed their food more than
those who did not perform such rituals.
The participants who performed rituals reported higher overall
enjoyment of chocolate, lemonade and carrots.
In one trial, the participants’ ritual was to simply break a bar of
chocolate a certain way before eating it.
Your ritual could range from saying grace to breaking bread, but
make sure you are the one performing it — the study also found
those merely watching a ritual did not enjoy the same flavor
benefits.
The Food Ritual
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It may not be what you eat, but what you eat it on. Several
separate studies found the color, material, and weight of utensils
and serving vessels affected how consumers perceived the taste
of their food.
One study found participants rated the same yogurt significantly
higher when they ate it from a stainless steel spoon rather than a
metallic plastic spoon.
A similar study found the weight of three otherwise identical
bowls affected how participants rated a yogurt in the categories
of density, perceived expense and how much they liked it.
Set the Table
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Just as the material and weight of servingware affected the taste
of food, so did color.
One study found strawberry mousse tasted more flavorful and
sweet on a white plate than a black plate.
Another found people liked hot chocolate more from a dark-
cream cup than red, orange or white cups — they found the hot
chocolate in the dark-cream cup sweeter and more aromatic.
Color Coordinate
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Ever wonder why coffee tastes good hot or cold but awful at
room temperature? Or why ice cream is delicious frozen, and
even better as soft serve, but just too sweet when soupy?
Research suggests temperature can intensify sour, bitter and
sharp tastes. Researchers found sharp and sour flavors grew
stronger in warmer temperatures — and the opposite was true
for bitterness.
In a similar study, researchers found cheddar cheese tasted
more sour as it became warmer.
By heating certain foods, rather than, say, eating the leftovers
straight from the fridge, you may be intensifying certain flavors
and subduing others.
Heat Up or Chill Out
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Several chefs and even the American Diabetes Association
recommend adding acidity to your food for boosted flavor.
The organization Eat Right notes acids elevate and balance
flavors in food. Add some vinegar or experiment with citrus juices
like lemon or lime to give your meal some zest.
Acids can be a low-calorie alternative to salad dressings, or they
can be squeezed onto proteins for flavor with a heavy sauce,
such as pairing lemon juice and salmon.
An added benefit: one study found balsamic vinegar may help
manage cholesterol.
When Life Gives You Lemons, Add Them to the Food
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Adding herbs to your food can add a lot of nutritious flavor for few
calories and may help you reduce salt — if you’re trying to cut
back.
Herbs are relatively inexpensive and rather easy to grow at
home; fresh or dried, they can add some unexpected flavors to a
meal.
Herbs work well with vegetables, poultry, fish and red meat — so
pretty much every meal! And certain fresh herbs may have some
health benefits in addition to their flavor.
Australian researchers found peppermint, which goes well with
lamb, carrots and fruit salad, can help relieve Irritable bowel
syndrome symptoms.
Rosemary, which is a nice addition to soups and certain meats,
has been found to have antioxidant properties, which means it
may help prevent cancer.
Meet My Friend Herb
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You may wonder about the difference between a spice and an
herb; they’re similar because they both come from plants.
Sometimes herbs and spices even come from the same plant, as
is the case with coriander and cilantro.
The difference is in the part of the plant they come from — an
herb is a leaf, while a spice comes from the root (e.g., ginger),
the bloom (e.g., cloves), fruit (e.g.,vanilla), seeds (e.g., cumin) or
bark (e.g., cinnamon).
Spices have added bonuses, too! One study found using Asian
spices like turmeric and cumin with meats cooked at high
temperatures may help reduce levels of potentially cancer-
causing chemicals.
Spice Up Your Life
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Did your parents ever tell you something is more satisfying if you
earn it? The same rule applies to food.
One study published in BMC Neuroscience found food tasted
stronger when the participants were hungry — sweet and salty
flavors became more prominent when the diners had an empty
stomach.
Next time you’re going to grab a snack, ask yourself whether
you’re eating because you’re actually hungry or just thirsty or
even bored.
The Hunger Game
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Shopping at farmers markets may benefit you as much as it
helps the farmers.
Locally grown produce often tastes better and may have more
nutrients than fruits and vegetables shipped from around the
world because the time between being picked and being plated is
a lot shorter.
Since the shipping time is shorter, these foods generally ripen
longer on the vine, rather than while shipping. Some farmers
markets may be pricier than box stores.
However, some chain supermarkets benefit from community
engagement and may offer locally grown produce; it’s generally
advertised, so keep your eyes peeled, especially in the fall
harvest season.
Buy Local
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Be mindful of what you drink with dinner. Loading your glass with
ice may temporarily reduce your ability to taste the full flavor of
your food.
Americans tend to drink beverages at colder temperatures with
more ice than European or Asian cultures, which tend to prefer
warmer drinks like tea with meals.
One study’s participants reported better chocolate flavor in terms
of sweetness and creaminess when they ate it after drinking
room temperature or warm water compared to cold water.
The researchers said the American preference for iced
beverages may also be why Americans prefer highly sweetened
snacks.
Ice, Ice, Maybe
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Clemson University, “Local Food: Does It Matter What We Eat?”
Harvard University, “Rituals Enhance Consumption”
American Diabetes Association, “Less Sodium, Just as Much Flavor!”
University of Nebraska, “Fresh Herbs: a Picture of Healthy Eating”
Journal of Sensory Studies, "DO THE MATERIAL PROPERTIES OF CUTLERY AFFECT THE PERCEPTION OF THE FOOD YOU EAT? AN EXPLORATORY STUDY”
Science Direct, "Does the weight of the dish influence our perception of food?"
Journal of Sensory Studies, "The Influence of the Color of the Cup on Consumers' Perception of a Hot Beverage"
Live Science, "Plate Color May Boost Food's Flavor"
Journal of Sensory Studies, "IMPACT OF SERVING TEMPERATURE ON TRAINED PANEL PERCEPTION OF CHEDDAR CHEESE FLAVOR ATTRIBUTES"
Live Science, "Some Foods Taste Different Hot or Cold"
Nature, "Heat activation of TRPM5 underlies thermal sensitivity of sweet taste."
Reader’s Digest, "13+ Things TV Chefs Won't Tell You"
Eat Right, "Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics"
University of Maryland Medical Center, "Rosemary"
Science Daily, "How peppermint helps to relieve irritable bowel syndrome"
NC State University, "Cooking with Herbs"
Journal of Food Science, "Inhibitory Activity of Asian Spices on Heterocyclic Amines Formation in Cooked Beef Patties"
Horticulture and Home Pest News, "Herbs vs. Spices"
Science Daily, "Food Tastes Stronger When You're Hungry"
University of Vermont, "Ten Reasons to Buy Local Food"
Science Direct, "Temperature of served water can modulate sensory perception and acceptance of food"
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Last Updated: October 3, 2014
Source: http://www.rxwiki.com/slideshow/healthy-ways-make-food-taste-better/
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