Science Quickly Why Some Foods Gross Us Out
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Nov 10, 2025 Kendra Pierre-Louis, a climate journalist known for her captivating food science essays, dives deep into the psychology of taste. She shares her hilarious disdain for mayonnaise and how this aversion connects to broader food textures. Discover the intriguing link between texture and taste perception, like how roughness can heighten sourness. Kendra also explores unique food texture vocabulary from other languages and categorizes preferences, revealing how people connect with food beyond just flavor.
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Mayo Hatred Began In Childhood
- Kendra Pierre-Louis has long hated mayonnaise and used that dislike as a reporting hook.
- She traced the feeling back to childhood moments like being tricked into eating Miracle Whip on a sandwich.
Texture Drives Food Aversion
- Texture strongly shapes taste perception, making some people avoid entire classes of foods like creamy savories.
- Kendra links dislikes for mayo, butter, and alfredo to aversion to savory creamy textures rather than flavor alone.
Languages Shape How We Describe Texture
- Food texture vocabulary varies across cultures, with some languages encoding many texture descriptors.
- English lacks many texture words, which limits how we discuss and categorize mouthfeel.