Highly Sensitive Sense of Taste

If you are a Highly Sensitive Person, more than likely you have been told at least once in your life that you seem to be a ‘picky eater’. There really is nothing wrong with being picky about what you put in your mouth. In a sense I really am aware that there are just some things that would make my eating experience miserable for me, even if I have never tasted them before. I do prefer to call it ‘selective’ rather than ‘picky’, but to each their own.

When we eat we use 4 of our senses, taste, touch, sight, and smell. With senses that are heightened, these may act together in a heightened sense, or separately.

I know that the texture (touch) of chocolate cake does not really make a difference to me, unless it is dry (poor cake), but the sight, taste, and smell of it makes me smile from ear to ear. On the opposite end of the scale, I love the taste of crispy bacon; but would it still taste the same if it weren’t crispy? Sure … probably, but I wouldn’t eat it for the texture of it.

But here is where it gets tricky for some … how do we know what to turn down?

Well, for most adults, we have a mental checklist of the things that don’t agree with us. It might be good to think of some of the reasons as to why those foods don’t agree with us so that we can come to understand other foods that might be introduced to us that are new to our pallets. Here are some things to consider:

Sight:

• Does the dish itself look appealing or unappealing?
• Is there something about the food that is unattractive to you?
• Is there something about the food that is overly attractive to you?

Smell:

• What about this food is it that smells so appealing? Is it a childhood memory that might be vaguely familiar, or very familiar?
• What is it about this food or dish that is unappealing, again this could be a childhood memory, and it may not be.

Touch:

• Is there something about this food or dish that reminds you of something that you do not find appealing? What is it, and why?

Taste:

• This is normally the last step in our selection of dishes or foods. If there is some small thing inside of you that tells you ‘this is going to be unpleasant’, it may be best to listen to that small thing and trust it. Nine times out of ten it will be correct, but it is up to you really. If that small thing says ‘it might be ok’ then make your decision to try the food based on how strongly you feel at the time, some people know that if they push themselves too much, anything slightly unpleasant will send them to tears, if you are one of us, please know that it is ok to say ‘no thank you’.

Getting to know our limits, and accepting them is a good way to accept the fact that we are going to know what we like and what we are not going to like, sometimes without even having to pass that food through our lips.

Here is an area of life where it would be easy to be an insensitive sensitive person, how do we turn down a dish without hurting the feelings or insulting the chef/cook? Whether the chef/cook is your spouse or partner, friend or family member, they put time and effort into something you may not intend to even try out. What are some of the things that you can think of saying, or doing to avoid hurt feelings at the dinner table?


Some of the causes/side effects of an over-stimulated Pallet:

Some of us love to cook because of the wide range of senses that can be filled, but when it comes to eating time, those senses have been fulfilled and eating may only heighten them and overwhelm us.

Everyone will find their own way to come to a balance, but here are a few starting points if this is something new to you.

Cooking large meals for a family or gathering may overwhelm us in many more ways than just the final outcome of eating. It is ok to ask for help.

Recruiting little ones to do the stirring is a wonderful way to reduce the stress on your senses as well as help them to feel a valued part of the up-coming event. My two little ones also enjoy putting the finishing touches on almost any dish, this also gives a bit to talk about with some of the other parents or Grand Parents. Our partners may be willing to take on a few of the smaller tasks as well. If there is a possibility of preparing a dish before hand, this is a good idea as it breaks up the introduction of scents that are introduced to the home (and us).

Another good thing to keep in mind is to know what you can handle and offer only this much. Sometimes it is most important to be able to say no, but in most cases it is easier to say ‘I can do ‘this’ much on my own, more and I will need to have help.’ In my mind, there is no reason to arrive at a gathering already over-stimulated, sometimes this is not just a stresser for us, but to those that know us well may be able to sense or even see our stress indicators.

Very interesting topic, Asphodel.

Ok, this is gonna sound weird, but I can't eat anything if I don't like how its name sounds. Asparagus is one. I just hate the sound of the name so won't touch the food. I did have to eat it once as I was invited to dinner and it would be rude not to. I actually like the taste, but I've never had it since and never will (unless someone sneaks it in). Paw Paw is another. Don't like the name. I also don't like its other name papaya. I don't like the name guava, but just to break my own rule, I will drink guava juice, just won't eat the fruit.

Its not that I hate the sound of the word. I think asparagus and paw paw are really great for getting your tongue around, as words. I just hate the sound of those words when attached to a food. Ok, weird I know *shrug*

I was however, an extremely picky eater for many years. I would not eat pineapple (see reason above) for a very long time. I've sort of acquired a taste for it now but I can't eat it too often.

And bananas. If I wanted a banana I had to eat it as soon as the idea came to me. If I took my time to think about eating a banana, I'd start to get sick. There would be no way I'd eat it. I also couldn't eat a banana that was squishy at all or bruised. And no way would I eat it cooked! Some people throw them on bbqs with chocky in them. eeew. I could only eat them raw, as paddle pop ice creams or in banana cake - and that was it. Now, I have an allergy so can't eat them at all.

Not weird at all justme!

I can definitely see that the name of a food may make it terribly difficult to eat it. Honestly ... it is difficult for me to be in the same home or general area when someone tells me they are preparing asparagus. I can also honestly say that I have never tried it.

As I'm sitting here, my partner is making traditional turkish coffee in the kitchen. And it made me realise how sensitive my nose is. I can actually smell odours that don't exist, kind of like memories odours. I can certainly track down something thats gone off quite easily.

Oh oh and sight. Something I cannot stand to look at is seeing something coming out of something else. I mean I can look at pens sticking out of pockets, cause they are meant to do that, right? But you know those tattoos that look like bugs or whatever ripping out of your skin? Those! In nurseries I've worked in, they've even had these soft toys that have sort of flaps sewn onto them with a toy stuffed inside. They remind me of a slit in the body and something inside the wound. Can't stand those. If I see a picture in a book, I cringe turning the page. There was a billboard ad here a while ago, where they'd taken side shots of someone's face and then blended them to the ears made a heart shape. Made me feel ill every time I saw it. When I was about 14 I read a story of survival where this woman was in a plane crash and had open wounds. Flies laid eggs in them and she had to dig out the larvae. Eeew! That is where I think this issue comes from. Anything at all that vaguely resembles something crawling around inside a wound on a body - nope can't go there.

I have a very sensitive nose. Sensitive in that I can smell absolutely everything.

I'm the first with a gas leak and sulpher but also with less obvious smells.

Sometimes when there's something pungent being stored in the fridge, I can't bear to open it.

My eyes are sensitive to light... very sensitive. I can't abide 100 watt bulbs for this reason - there's just no need for it!