Can you train yourself to learn to eat something you absolutely do not like?

“Our tongue is a unique organ,” says Martijn Peters. “With our taste buds we can recognize a huge range of flavors. Each variety of each ingredient has its own taste.”

Then why is one person disgusted by sprouts and oysters, while the other immediately starts watering when reading those ingredients? “That depends on two factors,” says the science expert.

To begin with, a genetic factor already plays a role here, although it is surprisingly small. “That’s how your genes influence the taste buds on the tongue. As a result, some people have little taste, an ordinary taste or even a ‘super taste’.”

In addition, we are all born with a certain preference for sweets. This is because sweet foods, such as ripe fruit, are a good source of nutrients and energy. Most people also like fatty foods. The reason for this is the high number of calories, which provide us with the necessary energy.

The same goes for salty foods. It is full of minerals, which our body can use. That is also the reason why combinations of fat and salt or fat and sweet taste so delicious. Just think of fries or ice cream.

We usually do not appreciate bitter and sour flavors, because bitter flavors are in plant poison, for example. Acidic foods often indicate something that has expired. In short: our bodies are programmed, as it were, to detect ‘dangerous flavours’.”

The main factor behind why we don’t like something, on the other hand, is the environment. “It even starts before we’re born. In the womb, the fetus mainly inhales and breathes amniotic fluid. And that amniotic fluid is flavored by the mother’s dietary habits. You also continue to ingest flavors through breastfeeding. At that point, you don’t have an aversion to a particular ingredient or dish.”

Only from the age of two you can no longer like something new. “So if you haven’t been exposed to a particular flavor by the time you turn 2, chances are you won’t like it.”

“There are also a lot of other factors that influence your taste. Think of the smell, texture and emotional context. A disease can also have an impact. If you eat a new food and then vomit, your brain automatically blames the food, even if it doesn’t. For example, you can develop an aversion to a certain ingredient. Finally, a cultural background also plays a role in what we like and what we don’t.”

“We often don’t like things because they are new. The solution is therefore to make a certain food ‘old’. You can do that by gradually exposing yourself to the food. Start by getting the dirty ingredient at home. Then try putting the food in your mouth without swallowing it.”

This allows you to get used to the taste or texture, without experiencing a bad physical reaction. The last step is to swallow it. It also helps if you do that with things you do enjoy.”

Although it is a little more difficult than it sounds. ,,According to studies, you first have to make about ten to fifteen attempts before you get used to it. So it actually takes some time. Besides, it’s not that bad if you don’t like something. Research shows that it is healthier if people do not oblige themselves to eat something, but think about what they do like to eat.”

The Rapley method: In this method, babies get to know shapes and textures of food in a playful way. Parents of Nu explains how this method works.