Be Inspired..!!

It is not uncommon for our sense of taste to change, or diminish, with time. This is due to many factors. As we age, the number of taste buds that we have decreases. This usually begins to occur in our 40s if we’re female or in our 50s if we’re male. These changes can make eating and drinking unpleasant however they are usually only temporary.

If you experience taste changes the following ideas may help to make food more acceptable:

If food tastes metallic :

• Use plastic or wooden utensils instead of metal ones.
• Marinate meat in fruit juice, wine or sauces such as sweet and sour or Barbeque sauce! to improve its flavour before cooking.
• Eat meat with something sweet e.g. cranberry  or apple sauce.
• Red meat may taste unpleasant – try chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, beans, pulses or textured vegetable protein (for example tofu) as an alternative.
• Sucking mints or boiled sweets may help.
• You may find that drinks containing artificial sweeteners can leave a metallic taste in your mouth

If food tastes too sweet:

• Try diluting drinks with water, soda or tonic water.
• Try sharper tasting foods such as oranges, grapefruit, rhubarb, gooseberries, lemon curd, fruit juices or lemonade.
• Try cold fizzy drinks to refresh your mouth.
• Try eating sweet foods chilled.
• Try adding ginger, nutmeg or cinnamon to puddings.

If food tastes bitter:

• Try peppermint, fruit or green teas, milky warm drinks such
  as cocoa, Horlicks, Ovaltine, other malted milk drinks or hot chocolate.
• Sweeten foods with sugar, honey, jam or marmalade to disguise a bitter taste.

If food tastes bland:

• Choose foods which are full of flavour e.g. curries or chilli con carne.
• Add strong tasting herbs and spices e.g. oregano, rosemary, basil, or sauces such as Barbeque, Worcester sauce, soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce.
• Cook vegetables with bacon, ham or onion to add flavour.
• Eat sharp tasting foods and drinks such as oranges, grapefruit, rhubarb, gooseberries, lemon curd, fruit juices, boiled sweets or lemonade.

Reference : http://flipbooks.leedsth.nhs.uk/LN002008.pdf