Taste preference is key to boosting consumption
Taste preference is key to boosting consumption
New research shows that people may inherit their sense of taste, and this may influence how consumers can boost servings of certain fruits and vegetables to meet new health recommendations.
Consumers rely on taste as a top factor for buying fresh fruits and vegetables, and using information on taste preference may be the best way to sell more fruits and vegetables.
A telephone survey conducted for the Produce Marketing Association in mid-January found that taste was the most important factor for shoppers in deciding whether to buy fruits and vegetables, followed by the well-known health benefits of consuming produce.
?For years our industry has educated consumers on the nutritional and health benefits of produce," said PMA President Bryan Silbermann in releasing the survey last month. "We need to go further. Now our challenge is to offer shoppers new flavors and textures to engage their senses."
But with the latest studies appearing to show that people?s taste preferences are inherited, how can the industry and health experts nudge consumers to eat more fruits and vegetables?
?By being aware of your preferences, you can find ways to increase the number of these foods you have each day until you meet health recommendations," said Karen Collins, a registered dietitian who is affiliated with the American Institute for Cancer Research and who writes a weekly column for MSNBC.com.
First, people need to explore their taste preferences. One study found that people could be classified as fruit lovers, vegetable lovers, attracted to both fruits and vegetables, or neither. Fruit lovers like sweeter foods and eat more desserts compared to vegetable lovers, who eat spicy foods, enjoy bitter or savory foods, and are more likely to try new recipes and cook nutritious meals, said the study. Fruit lovers enjoy easy-to-prepare meals.
One way to boost consumption is for fruit lovers to choose fresh fruits as desserts and snacks, while vegetable lovers could use spices and new recipes to incorporate more variety, said Ms. Collins. But vegetables and fruits are nutritionally different, so everyone should eat both, she said.
The inherited taste preferences might explain why some individuals prefer the super-healthy cruciferous vegetables and why others find these vegetables too bitter. People who are sensitive to the bitter tastes in cruciferous vegetables might enjoy them better when they?re stir-fried or saut?ed in a little olive oil, rather than steamed, she said.
A salty, sweet or sour flavor can also reduce a bitter taste, so broccoli and other vegetables of the same family can be prepared with a dash of light soy sauce or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Other options include sprinkling vegetables with a honey, lemon juice or a mild-flavored vinegar.
Consumers rely on taste as a top factor for buying fresh fruits and vegetables, and using information on taste preference may be the best way to sell more fruits and vegetables.
A telephone survey conducted for the Produce Marketing Association in mid-January found that taste was the most important factor for shoppers in deciding whether to buy fruits and vegetables, followed by the well-known health benefits of consuming produce.
?For years our industry has educated consumers on the nutritional and health benefits of produce," said PMA President Bryan Silbermann in releasing the survey last month. "We need to go further. Now our challenge is to offer shoppers new flavors and textures to engage their senses."
But with the latest studies appearing to show that people?s taste preferences are inherited, how can the industry and health experts nudge consumers to eat more fruits and vegetables?
?By being aware of your preferences, you can find ways to increase the number of these foods you have each day until you meet health recommendations," said Karen Collins, a registered dietitian who is affiliated with the American Institute for Cancer Research and who writes a weekly column for MSNBC.com.
First, people need to explore their taste preferences. One study found that people could be classified as fruit lovers, vegetable lovers, attracted to both fruits and vegetables, or neither. Fruit lovers like sweeter foods and eat more desserts compared to vegetable lovers, who eat spicy foods, enjoy bitter or savory foods, and are more likely to try new recipes and cook nutritious meals, said the study. Fruit lovers enjoy easy-to-prepare meals.
One way to boost consumption is for fruit lovers to choose fresh fruits as desserts and snacks, while vegetable lovers could use spices and new recipes to incorporate more variety, said Ms. Collins. But vegetables and fruits are nutritionally different, so everyone should eat both, she said.
The inherited taste preferences might explain why some individuals prefer the super-healthy cruciferous vegetables and why others find these vegetables too bitter. People who are sensitive to the bitter tastes in cruciferous vegetables might enjoy them better when they?re stir-fried or saut?ed in a little olive oil, rather than steamed, she said.
A salty, sweet or sour flavor can also reduce a bitter taste, so broccoli and other vegetables of the same family can be prepared with a dash of light soy sauce or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Other options include sprinkling vegetables with a honey, lemon juice or a mild-flavored vinegar.
