When I was a kid, I did not like spicy food. Now an adult, I love it.
In: 2025
The idea that our ‘tastebuds change’ as we age is actually a mix of biological, psychological, and social factors. Biologically, kids have more taste buds and are often more sensitive to certain flavors like bitterness. This sensitivity can decline as we age, making some foods more palatable. Interestingly, there’s a genetic component to this as well. According to SNPedia, people with a specific genoset (Gs227) are more sensitive to bitter tastes in childhood but become less sensitive as they age. This genoset involves three SNPs in the TAS2R38 gene, and a 2010 study found that individuals with this genetic makeup are particularly prone to this age-related change in bitter sensitivity.
Psychologically, repeated exposure to a food can make us like it more, and our emotional state and past experiences can also influence our preferences. Socially, cultural exposure and trends can sway our likes and dislikes.
So, it’s not just about our tastebuds ‘changing,’ but rather a complex interplay of genetics, biology, psychology, and social factors that shape our food preferences over time.
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