I just had pad thai. Why is it that it wouldn’t taste as good if I put it in a blender and then ate it? It would contain all the same flavors and nutritional components. What is it that makes texture so important and therefore, makes food like hamburgers or pad Thai taste undesirable when blended up?
In: Biology
Probably not the right answer, but still something to think about. At its basic function, the sensation of taste is just feeling the shape of molecules. So it’s all texture dependent
Since in general most vegetables and fruits change their texture when they go bad bad, our brains automatically think that the different texture could be the food having gone bad. It makes us not like it so we don’t get potentially poisoned by it
Texture is a major indicator of food quality. A carrot that’s mushy isn’t good. We develop expectations for what foods are supposed to be like texture-wise and deviation in these expectations set off our reptile brain alarms
Using Thai as an example each element (salt, sweet, acid, fire) different parts of your toung senses different flavors. Texture of the components, noodles, peanuts, sauce add to the experience. Blend it and the uniqueness of the flavors are lost as well as the nuances of texture.
Have you actually tried a blended Pad Thai though?
Latest Answers