The perception of taste is remarkably complex, not only on the tongue but in organs throughout the body.
The idea that specific tastes are confined to certain areas of the tongue is a myth that “persists in the collective consciousness despite decades of research debunking it.” Also wrong: the notion that taste is limited to the mouth.
Where else can you taste food? In your nose?
Yes, sort of. Taste and smell are almost the same sense.
I always take my food as a suppository. Rectal taste buds hit different.
You’re not wrong. Super-spicy foods are tasted twice.
I felt this comment.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fft2.407
There is utility to being able to detect the presence of the things different tastes are supposed to detect (protein, sugars, acid, salt, toxins) at various points in the digestive tract as well, so your body know when to do things like empty the stomach or release certain digestive enzymes in the gut. Or make you vomit if you eat something toxic.
Akshully… yes.
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/smell-taste
This was a cool read, thanks for posting! That final bit about experiments on both the color and sound while chewing also affecting flavor is super interesting.
You can actually hear the difference between sweet and salty but most people haven’t tried it
Dip your bare feet in a bowl of garlicy water and you’ll taste it