Eli5: Do our tastebuds actually “change” as we get older? Who do kids dislike a certain food, then start liking it as an adult?

Question

When I was a kid, I did not like spicy food. Now an adult, I love it.

In: 2025

Answer 1

Have you ever wondered whether we actually see the same color? If we both look at strawberry we‘ll both call it red, but are we actually both seeing red? Or are we seeing different things and just calling it red?

If we both see the exact same thing and call it the same then the reason you might like the color is simply because of your opinion on it. If we see different things and just call it the same then maybe every person likes the same colors, but we just don‘t see everything the same as any other person.

This also applies to taste. If we both eat mushrooms, are we actually tasting the same thing or do we just call it the same?

I think it‘s best to leave
[Vsauce video on it](https://youtu.be/evQsOFQju08?si=N60VCCj7b-3C3vJo). It‘s about colors but it also mostly applies to taste.