From the Guidelines
Certain foods such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, hot drinks, and spicy, hot, raw, or crusty foods can cause changes in taste perception. These foods can irritate the oral and gastrointestinal mucosa, leading to alterations in taste sensation 1.
Key Foods to Avoid
- Tomatoes
- Citrus fruits
- Hot drinks
- Spicy foods
- Hot foods
- Raw foods
- Crusty foods It is essential to avoid these foods to prevent changes in taste perception, especially in individuals with oral and gastrointestinal mucosal injury 1.
Mechanism of Action
The exact mechanism by which these foods cause changes in taste perception is not fully understood, but it is thought to be related to the irritation of the mucosa and the stimulation of pain receptors 1.
Clinical Implications
Avoiding these foods can help prevent changes in taste perception and improve the quality of life for individuals with oral and gastrointestinal mucosal injury 1.
From the Research
Foods and Substances Affecting Taste Perception
- Certain foods and substances can cause changes in taste perception, including:
- Acidic foods, such as fresh-pack dill pickles, which can evoke sour taste due to the presence of protonated organic acid species and hydrogen ions 2
- Foods high in zinc, as zinc deficiency has been linked to disturbances in taste and appetite 3, 4
- Foods that can lead to zinc deficiency, such as those low in zinc or high in phytates, which can inhibit zinc absorption
- Other factors that can affect taste perception include:
Mechanisms of Taste Perception
- The sense of taste arises from the activation of taste receptor cells on the tongue and elsewhere in the oral cavity 5
- The perception of sweet, bitter, salty, sour, and umami tastes is dependent on the chemical nature of the tastant 5
- Zinc plays a crucial role in maintaining normal taste function, and deficiency can lead to disturbances in taste perception 3, 4