Food

Food
Annelisa L.

Food plays an important part in everyone’s life, some people more than others. Personally, food plays a really big part in my life. I am always eating. I think good cooking is one of the most amazing and difficult art forms. I often wonder how we detect different tastes in food. I wonder why we like different foods more than others. I looked it up and found out some interesting stuff about taste.
Apparently there are four main tastes: sweetness, bitterness, sourness, and saltiness. Some people think fattiness is a fifth main taste. Some other people think that there also is a taste called umami (or “meatiness or relish”) that makes some of us like foods like cheese and meat. Somehow, our taste buds detect the different amounts and combinations of these tastes in our food and we individually prefer different combinations. Also, the temperature, moisture, spiciness and texture of the food play a role in what we like. Extra: Supertasters are people whose sense of taste is “significantly more sharp than normal”. Women, Asians, Africans, and South Americans are likelier to be supertasters. 25% of people are supertasters, so about 5 or 6 people in our class are supertasters. Are YOU a supertaster?
Anyway, the point of my essay is the impact of food on society. Restaurants like McDonalds and Burger King have become regular words in our vocabulary not only throughout the US, but throughout the world. Restaurants such as these have become vital parts of our culture. They don’t always have a positive impact, as you can see from movies like Supersize Me. However, everyone has probably eaten at them at least once, and everyone has talked about them, whether it is to praise them or complain about them. 26.6% of people in the U.S. are obese, so food literally has a big impact on them.
Things like pictures of apples, hamburgers and fries have gone so far as to become pop culture icons. Every country and culture has its own food stereotypes.
Long ago, food reflected the climate, terrain, and social standing of those who made it and/or ate it. Eating of gourmet foods, and even obesity, reflected high social standing. The varying qualities of foods people ate showed what class they were in. Now, since we have access to materials from around the world, it reflects the personal taste and flair of the cook. Like mixing colors of paint, you can mix together flavors to create a unique new flavor. That is what I enjoy most about food.