Tricky test question on nutrition

[Jedi of Zen]

We recently had a test question, basically as follows:

"Which of the following nutrients gives flavor to food?

A. Protein

B. Carbohydrates

C. Fats "

What answer would you have chosen, and why? Just curious. Thanks for your input!

[Jedi of Zen]

I would say fat...also because a full fat cookie, cheese, pie, biscuit etc... always tastes better than a low fat version of the same item.

I agree with you completely. But sugar (carbs) makes things taste better too :)

Ah, well.

[PurifyMe]

I just finished my first semester of nursing school, and Nutrition was not my strong point, however, for the same reasons listed above, (ham hocks in greens, bacon fat in green beans) I chose fat. I'm excited that I was correct.

Pure

[PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN]

i think it is kind of a trick question. there are many things involved with flavor. the tongue, the nose, the brain and the perception. texture, such as with fats, help enhance the flavor of food. however, we don't really have a fat sensing taste bud. plug your nose and lick some oil and you taste nothing. however, if you plug your nose and taste sugar, you will taste the sweetness, although some what dampened. since we only have taste buds that detect sweet, salty, bitter and sour, carbs would win. but even then there is a difference between taste and flavor.

the only thing my nutrition books says is, “in addition to chemical triggers (taste buds), aroma, texture and temperature also affect a food's flavor. in fact the sense of smell is thousands of times more sensitive than the sense of taste." understanding normal and clinical nutrition, 7th ed.

i give up! j

[Jedi of Zen]

i think it is kind of a trick question. there are many things involved with flavor. the tongue, the nose, the brain and the perception. texture, such as with fats, help enhance the flavor of food. however, we don't really have a fat sensing taste bud. plug your nose and lick some oil and you taste nothing. however, if you plug your nose and taste sugar, you will taste the sweetness, although some what dampened. since we only have taste buds that detect sweet, salty, bitter and sour, carbs would win. but even then there is a difference between taste and flavor.

the only thing my nutrition books says is, "in addition to chemical triggers (taste buds), aroma, texture and temperature also affect a food's flavor. in fact the sense of smell is thousands of times more sensitive than the sense of taste." understanding normal and clinical nutrition, 7th ed.

i give up! j

well, i'm with you! i understand the need to appreciate principles of nutrition, but the question just seemed kind of arbitrary to me, having to choose between the two.

at any rate, i'm just going to bet that my future nursing career is not going to be doomed to failure merely because i chose carbs over fats. :)

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

We recently had a test question, basically as follows:

"Which of the following nutrients gives flavor to food?

A. Protein

B. Carbohydrates

C. Fats "

What answer would you have chosen, and why? Just curious. Thanks for your input!

I would choose fat because I have read that a higher fat content makes food taste better. I've also noticed that from my own experience.

[beth66335, BSN, RN]

I agree with you completely. But sugar (carbs) makes things taste better too :)

Ah, well.

Yes but I would rather have a sugar free cookie than a fat free one!

And a roast tastes better if you leave some fat on it to roast it! I think it leads into the savory sense in taste. They are talking about fat cooked in food, or food cooked in fat. Like, fries taste good because they are fried.

[Jedi of Zen]

Yes but I would rather have a sugar free cookie than a fat free one!

And a roast tastes better if you leave some fat on it to roast it! I think it leads into the savory sense in taste. They are talking about fat cooked in food, or food cooked in fat. Like, fries taste good because they are fried.

Sure. And fruits, doughnuts, etc. taste good because they have sugar.

One could go on all day. It's a dead horse, and I'm leaving it alone now. lol.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

I remember learning in my nutrition course that it is fats.

[Music in My Heart]

Two things to consider in the carbs vs. fat taste debate:

1) Because carbohydrates are water soluble, they wash away very quickly so that their stimulation of the taste buds is very transient.

2) Because fats are long chains, they cover the taste buds more completely and thereby cause additional stimulation per gram of nutrient.

Really, though, it seems like a pretty weird question that could (obviously) be argued either way. It seems like the question probably derived from something parenthetical in the instructor's notes (which may or may not have made it into their lecture) or from the book.

[akanini, MSN, RN]

My instructor just told me this last week.

FATS

[PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN]

When I first read the post I immediately thought fats as well. But then I over thought and started thinking bonds and polarity and mixing with salivia.

I'm good with the answering being fats. :)

[Music in My Heart]

...I over thought and started thinking bonds and polarity and mixing with salivia.

I would argue with the "over thought" statement and say that you were doing precisely the right thing -- taking it down to the fundamentals. Understanding provides much better retention and application than does memorization.