How Your Brain Creates Flavor

Ever wonder how your brain decides what food tastes “good”? It all starts with

your taste buds, which detect five basic flavors: sweet, salty, sour,

bitter, and umami. These signals travel to your brain, where they combine

with smell, texture, and even memory to create the full experience of flavor.

Your brain also considers reward and survival. Sweet and fatty foods trigger the

release of dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical, because historically, these foods gave

energy and nutrients humans needed to survive. Culture, habits,

and past experiences shape your preferences too. That’s why grandma’s cookies might taste