At the beginning of the pandemic, hoaxes and false information about Covid began to emerge that were mixed with the truth. One of them, which time and rest has left in the scientifically proven certainties, was that the virus could affect the sense of smell and taste (reduce it or even eliminate it) and even leave as a consequence a lack of them (transitory). or not, there are still people who drag it). For this reason, the Alícia Foundation – a leading food and culinary science and research center in Europe – began to sound the alarm and investigate this problem. “In confinement we began to offer ‘solutions’, since it was estimated then that 70% of those affected mildly or moderately by this disease lost their sense of smell and 50% also lost their taste,” recalls Toni Massanés, president of this organism.
This is how the covid served to ‘popularize’ and put on the table some alterations that until then were considered rarities: ageusia (lack of sense of taste), dysgeusia (alteration of taste, such as perceiving metallic flavors) and anosmia (lack of of smell)… and also its intermediate variants, when they do not disappear completely but are reduced. “In some people it exists from birth, although the majority of those affected develop it as a result of oncological treatments, brain problems, ear, nose or throat surgeries, drugs, respiratory infections…”
According to Massanés, the effect of these alterations at mealtime is very important: they condition the perception and, consequently, the acceptance of the dishes. «The information that flavors give us (there are few catalogued) and smells (there are many of these) disappears and the stimuli to eat do not reach our brain, but we must continue doing it, of course, because, if not, the body will become “It weakens immediately,” says Massanés, who offers us some culinary tricks to make meals more appetizing if our taste or smell has been reduced (when it comes to eating, both senses go hand in hand):
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Better liquid or juicy foods
“In them the flavors dissolve better and are easier for the taste buds to capture.”
Spices and aromatic herbs, garlic, citrus juices and peels and salt… If there are no contraindications. “If the loss affects some flavors and not others, emphasize by greatly reinforcing those that do work or are better to replace those that do not,” says Massanés. Also eat foods with a strong flavor, such as cured cheese, anchovies or ham and even mix them with creams and vegetables to enhance them.
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Warm or hot foods
Choose warm or hot foods, especially sweet, bitter or umami foods, whose flavor is enhanced, as they ‘wake up’ the channels of our taste buds. In addition, hot food gives off more aroma and the enormous olfactory component that intervenes in flavor perception will improve.
Let the dishes catch our eye. “Give everything so that the senses that are not affected, especially vision, send stimuli that make us want to eat.”
Trying food that is not familiar to us if what happens to us is that the taste of things has changed, that everything tastes metallic (most often), for example. «It is a good time to try exotic food, spices that we are less familiar with. Many people use curry. If we eat the usual and it doesn’t taste the same, our brain’s expectations are not met and we will reject that food because in our memory it does not match what we know. And the expert issues a warning: «If the loss of taste or smell is total, it is very important to look carefully at the expiration dates of the food and if it is in good condition, since we can accidentally eat something bad… That’s what the senses are for. , not just to make us enjoy.
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