We all have favorite foods that taste great, including pizza, hamburgers, peanut butter, chocolate, ice cream … the list goes on. Our taste buds are primarily responsible for our sense of taste. They are sensory organs located on your tongue, and they distinguish between different tastes, including foods that taste salty, sour, sweet, and bitter. Without your taste buds, food would be utterly tasteless.
But did you know that there are bad habits that can negatively affect your sense of taste? Check out these six bad habits that can affect your taste buds.
Smoking Cigarettes
We all know that smoking cigarettes is bad for our health, including negatively affecting our hearts and lungs. And, of course, the debate surroundings the negative effects of second-hand smoke rages on. But smoking can also be bad for your taste buds. The cigarette smoke chemicals can aggravate your taste buds and lessen their sensitivity level to different tastes.
In addition, smoke can irritate your nasal passages, which can lead to trouble perceiving taste. Of course, the solution here is to not smoke.
Eating a Lot of Salty Foods
Salt is bad for your cardiovascular system. But it can also dull your taste buds when you eat an excess of salty foods. And if you can’t taste salt like normal, you may be tempted to keep adding salt to your food, which is definitely not a good thing. So, make sure to limit your salt intake by minimizing eating processed foods, which are full of salt. And you can also consider using salt substitutes.
Eating Too Much
Overeating can lead to a whole host of problems, including obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. And, according to a 2012 study, those who are obese may have trouble identifying certain flavors compared to those of a normal weight.
Exposure to Pesticides
Many of the fruits and vegetables we eat have been treated with pesticides. And, sometimes, by the time they arrive home with us, they still have pesticides on them. This is, of course, hazardous to your health and your taste buds because some pesticides can alter your taste buds’ ability to taste. Make sure to thoroughly wash your fruits and vegetables before consuming them.
Consuming Too Much Sugar
If you have a sweet tooth, it’s not harmful if you eat goodies in moderation. But, overindulging your sweet tooth could be a problem. Not only is sugar bad for your health, but it can also stop your taste buds from accurately tasting flavors. So, minimizing your sugar intake will help protect your taste buds and your figure!
Taking an Excessive Amount of OTC Drugs
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Sometimes we have to rely on over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to help with allergies, colds, or other minor ailments. But, taking OTC drugs excessively can negatively impact your nose, which has been shown to minimize one’s ability to taste properly. So make sure to minimize the use of OTC drugs, including antihistamines and relaxants.
Aside from avoiding the above-mentioned items, you can also do a few things to reprogram your taste buds, as described by Dr. Oz here. And in this article from Experience Life, you can find out six ways to reclaim your taste.
