Turbocharge Your Taste

By MEGAN RUTHERFORD

It is an affliction that can lead to undereating, overeating, food or gas poisoning, depression, even death. More than three-quarters of us will suffer from it by the time we reach our 80s. But the good news is that in some cases this affliction--the loss of taste or smell, which together enable us to savor food--can be treated. And even when these senses can't be restored, there are ways to compensate.

As common as the loss of taste or olfactory sensitivity is, people are often unaware that they are suffering from it. "If your vision goes, you say, 'My vision isn't what it used to be. I have glaucoma.' If your hearing is poor, you say, 'Please speak louder. My hearing isn't good.' But if your taste and smell decline, you blame the food," says Susan Schiffman, a researcher at Duke University Medical Center. Many people also believe, erroneously, that flavor is perceived through taste alone; in fact, smell supplies all the nuances of flavor, enabling us to distinguish, say, one fruit from another. Smell is more fragile than taste, and thus loss of the sense of smell is the more likely culprit when flavor perception wanes.

The problems caused by such loss of sense can be more than aesthetic. People who prepare their own food may unconsciously adjust to a gradual loss in sensitivity by brewing a stronger cup of coffee or adding more seasoning to foods. But ignorance can be dangerous. "Some people undereat because food is so unpalatable that they've lost the desire," says Arlene Spark, coordinator of public health nutrition at Hunter College. "Others overeat because they're looking for something that tastes good." Still others omit important food groups, like vegetables, which to smell-impaired people can taste bitter. The dangers can be more immediate: many people in their 40s begin to lose their ability to detect mercaptans, the warning odors put into propane and natural gas, and may be unaware of gas leaks.

As with many ailments, an accurate diagnosis can circumvent many potential perils. Richard Doty, director of the University of Pennsylvania's Smell and Taste Center, believes everyone should be tested regularly, beginning in childhood. "Just knowing that you have a problem will make you more careful with natural gas or make you change to electrical appliances," he says. Besides, smell loss can be a tip-off to an underlying disease that requires medical intervention.

There are a multitude of causes, including normal aging, poor dental hygiene, infections and viruses, exposure to toxic fumes, and head trauma. "It's much easier to prevent than to treat," says Dr. Alan Hirsch, neurological director of Chicago's Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. "I always encourage people to wear seat belts to avoid head trauma. Avoid use of cigarettes. Avoid use of illegal drugs like cocaine." Marcia Levin Pelchat, a researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, offers a simple piece of advice: "Stay healthy." Elderly people who are healthy have better flavor perception than sick elderly people. In addition, hundreds of medications are known to affect the sense of taste, and people 65 or older take between 2.9 and 3.7 medications--more if they live in a nursing home.

Depending on the cause, however, loss of smell or taste may be reversible. And even when it isn't, there are many ways to boost the pleasures of eating. A variety of textures, colors and temperatures will provide tactile and visual cues to supplement the weakened perception of taste and odor. Make sure the dining room is well lighted, and use white plates so you can see your food. Try ethnic recipes--they tend to be higher in flavor. Grilling naturally puts an additional flavor into a dish. Use flavor-intensive foods like garlic, tomato paste and fruit nectars. Increase the sensory qualities of a dish by adding chili peppers, horseradish, mustard, ginger or cinnamon. Sprinkle chopped fresh herbs on a dish immediately before serving or, better yet, put them on the table so diners can season their own food. Add garnishes of high-flavor foods like bacon or ham bits, sun-dried tomatoes or orange slices. Think about what you're eating--people can often fill in the lost sensory information from memory. Chew thoroughly to enable more molecules to react with receptor sites in the mouth and nose. Switch from food to food, taking a bite of one, then another, to avoid becoming adapted, or inured, to a flavor.

Hyatt's Classic Residence, which operates a dozen upscale retirement communities in the U.S., has worked with Duke researcher Schiffman to create flavor- intensive recipes. Its stock in trade: stock. Classic Residence chefs typically prepare meats, for example, by marinating them in broths that have been reduced to concentrated essences. Appealing presentation is also vital, says Cheryl Lucas, assistant vice president of food and beverage. "When you walk into our dining room, it's very important for the look of the food and the aroma to be appealing to you. Literally, if you are not enjoying those first experiences, your digestive process slows down."

Important as preparation and presentation are, experts agree that the ultimate flavor enhancer may be a friendly atmosphere. Senior executive chef Martin Leonard makes a point of chatting with Classic residents. And that, he says, "can make all the difference in whether they like their beef or not." Call it the spice of life.