It is widely known that our tongue has different areas of taste. Traditionally those tastes are sour, salty, sweet and bitter. In addition to these there is also the taste of umami and fat but more on that later. This notion suggests that what you will taste surely depends on where your food gets in touch with your tongue. If you were to put a bonbon on the wrong spot of your tongue you most likely wont taste anything, in theory. But is this saying true? It is scientifically proven that our tongue is mapped into different areas of tastes?
We will find out
The five main tastes
Fig.1 Zones of taste. Credits
Depending on what we consume we can differentiate between five main tastes:
- Salty
- Sour
- Sweet
- Bitter
- Umami
The following figure shows the taste areas of our tongue. We instinctively will agree on that and accept it as a fact. However this just another common misconception. Looking at your tongue you will see small bumps on it, called papillae. These papillae contain taste buds. The senses of taste is transmitted by these taste buds which contain about 50 to 100 receptor cells each. Most of these receptor cells that cause the sensation of taste are located on the tongue.
We have papillae that cover the whole tongue and each taste bud can perceive all five tastes! However, the threshold to perceive the individual taste varies within our tongue. A threshold has to be exceeded in order for a taste to be perceived. Each flavor has its specific taste receptor within the taste buds and each type of taste receptor is activated differently. We will now have a look at the specific taste receptors and how they are activated.
If you want to know more about how the taste buds work I suggest you to read my article Life Explorers - The Human Senses Part IV: Taste.
We have two different kinds of receptors here: Ion receptors and G-protein coupled receptors. Salty and sour taste work with ion receptors whereas sweet, umami and bitter taste work with G-protein receptors (GPRCs)
Salty and Sour
Table salt (NaCl), ammonium chloride (NH4CL), magnesium chloride (MgCl2) and sodium fluoride (NaF) for instance are responsible for the sensation of a salty taste. To understand how the signal transmission works I recommend to read my last Life Explorers article about the sense of touch. The sodium cations cause the cell membrane to depolarize. This leads to release of Ca2+ Ions which in turn releases neurotransmitters. By doing so the neurotransmitters are redirecting the action potential trough the nerve paths to the brain.
The higher the concentration of salt is the more intense the actual taste.
Fig.7 Grid structure of salt. Credits
The same happens when we taste sour. Sour is caused by protons. These protons block the ion channel which in turn depolarizes the membrane and releases Ca2+ cations.
Sweet, Bitter and Umami
Fig.8 Chemical formula of Glucose. Credits
Glucose, sucrose, sweeteners etc. bind on specific receptors which in turn activates GPRCs. These lead again to a depolarization of the cell and releasing Ca2+ cations. The release of Ca2+ cations is the reason that the nervous signal is transmitted by neurotransmitters.
The same process is happening for bitter and umami tasts. Umami is a taste of glutamate, aspartate etc. binding to the certain recptors. Bitter is the result of bitter-tasting compounds binding to GRPCs.
Fig.9 Chemical formula of bitter compounds. Credits
Where does the myth come from?
In the year 1901 the German scientist David P Hänig published his research on how sensitiv to certain tastes the different areas on the tongue are. He measured the threshold of the certain receptors and then presented his work to other scientists. His results were that certain areas are more sensitive to specific tastes than others. It never said that certain areas only register specific tastes. The problem was the way he presented his results, it led to confusion.
Make a simple test! Take some salt and put it at the end of your tongue. You will certainly taste the salt, in fact you will taste the salt on every part of your tongue. However at the sides of your tongue the sensation will be most intense.
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Do you love photography? Then I hope you didn't miss my recent TimTravels Episode where I went to Paris. You can see it here TimTravels - La Ville Lumière: Paris
Tim
Don't know about the salty, sour, umami and bitter parts of my tongue but I definitely have a very strong sweet spot.
I always thought that my sweet part of the tongue was stronger than others.
Thanks for sharing, it's a very informational read.
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Thanks a lot @timsaid
Interesting article. Always learning new things.
yeah right!
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Super interesting article! thanks for sharing!
Gotta admit I googled umami!
Great article! When I was a kid I used to make that experiment of taste, when I first learned about it in school :D
A lot of taste has to do with smell too. I had read in the past they are connected in some way with how we perceive taste and smell. Scents not only get pickup breathing in, but on the way out your nose too. When you're nose is clogged, things have a more muted taste.
Thank you @timsaid for another great topic with lots of complicated science jargon to melt our brains mixed in.
Correct!
In fact, most of the flavor is perceived through the olfactory system. Loss of the file olfactory or other neurons in the pathway due to head trauma or neurodegenerative disease may result in loss of the smelling sense, which in turn reduces the flavor of all foods to the above mentioned basic tastes.
No vanilla, no rosemary, no smoky flavor of your grilled whatever or your favorite whiskey ... you get the point.
Our bodies are definitely complicated and amazing living machines.
1 hour.... wait a minute - did you just drop a post on us and run without engaging the masses in the witty banter we enjoy so much? @timsaid
I was sleeping :) 5:30 AM here and I just woke up lol. Going to reply on all comments once I am awake.
Oh sure, playing the 'ol other side of the planet card. :-)
I will say true and will also say that you are doing a great job here @timsaid with all your posts and am glad that am following you. Keep steeming buddy and more success
i've got tastes only for sweets... what can i do..
dude lol i was passing through and seen this, interesting
Congratulations @timsaid!
Your post was mentioned in my hit parade in the following category:
Something like this happen with the areas of the brain. Great article.
Yeah the myth that we use only 20%? of our brains. When in reality we use every part of our brain when we need it.
The tongue is an amazing thing.... here's my favorite pickup line I use.... "Excuse me, Ma'am... ma'am? I have a tongue to flick with you..."
This post received a 0.7% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @buzzbeergeek! For more information, click here!
i really enjoy the TimTravels Episode i hope you will always be here for us, you are bless for our time ((:
The level of breakdown. You're doing like an amazing job on this network man! Like WO! We going bio on this one though ;) Thanks for sharing great information. Certainly a conversation starter. Cheers!
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Very nice post!
Thanks!
great post, it's just an other myth, the areas represent different levels of sensentivity to a certain taste that's all !
nice
That's interesting - that with Salt, one can experience a more intense sensation at the sides of the tongue !
Well written post - some people may be surprised to learn about the papillae. The Author suggests you EXPLORE MORE by reading his article here : >> https://steemit.com/science/@timsaid/life-explorers-the-human-senses-part-iv-taste
Fun experiment to try - just recall to put the salt @ end of your tongue.
Wow!! It's official, I have learned something today. Awesome article!!!
This post is making me salivate.
But let's save Pavlov for another time :P
Nice article!
Those 5 tastes are how I describe how beer tastes actually! Excellent one, and thank you for the support!
Great post man. I remember in school they gave me this slip of paper, and some people couldn't taste anything and some people could.... It sucks that i couldn't taste anything :P
its a myth
Im going to say....true....but I have a feeling this post will prove me wrong...
Thanks, now I can't get rid of the salty taste in my mouth !
Super interesting! My favourite taste is sweet :)
gotta love sugar ! haha
Interesting. Blowing the minds of grade schoolers everywhere ;)
Definitely true.....
I guess..😅
nice post @timsaid, pleas visiting me @marzukibrain,thanks
upvote and resteem
Great post and great research....time to test it out and lick random things around the house :P
Andddd just like that I was proven wrong... well at least I know now haha
Funny that most of the things that were taught in school are no longer true. I enjoyed your post Tim. You did a great job!
Yeah - and they took Pluto away from us too damn it!
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i think its true just taking a wild guess
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I knew that it was false, but I didn't know all. Thanks for your explanations. :)
HAHAHA, interesting. I remember myself in high school when they told me things, and then try to eat stuff on different parts of my tongue to check if they were right. I personally don't really feel the difference, but okay ;)
Very infromative post keep sharing thumbs up :D
Great post, very informative! Thank you, I will be following and watching for more! @jbcoin
OMG! My school life was a big lie :(
Extremely interesting,I'm off to find out.
You've made a great article sir Tim. And i thank you for that!
I wish you a happy day
I think the brain has something to do Salty, Sour, Sweet, Bitter, Umami etc. Thanks for sharing
I knew it. I read about it in 12 th standard but still there are many people whole believe in that myth. Thanx for sharing.
Very informative. I myself grew up with this idea that there are areas in the language for specific tastes.
And what about their links to the organs like in TCM ?