| Your
tongue is covered with little spots
called taste buds. This is how we taste the different flavours
that different foods have. There are four different taste
sensations - sour, salt, sweet and bitter. |
 |
The
taste buds at different parts of the tongue will taste one taste
sensation better than the other tastes. The sides of the tongue
recognise salty and sour things
best, while the front of the tongue recognises sweet
things best. Bitter food is tasted at the back of
the tongue. Most foods are a mixture of all the different tastes.
When we have a bad cold, our food may not taste very
good because our taste buds do not work properly. Our sense of taste
works with our sense of smell. If our nose is blocked up from a cold, we
can’t smell very well. If we can’t smell something, we can’t taste
it very well.
| bitter:
Most foods are a mixture of all the different taste
sensations, but some foods and drinks that taste bitter are
tonic water, grapefruit, and the peel of a banana. |
 |
covered with little spots:
Examine a friend’s tongue with a magnifying glass to look at his or
her taste buds. You should see little white dots around the edge of the
tongue. Identify the different taste buds for the four taste sensations.
salty:
Foods that taste salty are salted potato chips, pretzels, beef jerky,
and anything that salt has been added to.
|
sour:
Lemons, natural yoghurt, and vinegar are sour tastes.
|
 |
 |
sweet:
Foods with a lot of sugar in them include chocolate, cakes,
cookies, and honey. |
