Random Access Memories

From Kitmous:

I came here from the “Stumbling toward Ecstasy” post at Shapely Prose. I was reading about your struggles with diminished smell/taste, and thought I would come offer a suggestion.

I was in a car accident more than a decade ago that resulted in cranial nerve injuries. I have diminished smell and taste, and ‘sweet’ (because it’s on the tongue and not reliant on smell for intensity) is also the one that for me is strongest and most reliable. What I’ve taken to doing is pursuing REALLY strong-flavored foods–sharp English cheddar cheese instead of mild American cheddar, dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard, “everything” bagels instead of plain bagels, filet mignon instead of cheaper/less tasty cuts of beef, that sort of thing. Foods (for me, anyway) that actually have flavor. I don’t need to eat as much of them because I can taste them, so my body/brain is satisfied with less.

I’m just some random human on the internet, but I thought I’d pop over and offer a suggestion. 🙂

I do tend more towards VERY sweet things (IE. I like a little tea with my sugar in the morning) and I adore extremely sharp cheddar.

Sometimes tho a taste will completely overpower everything (Shitake mushrooms are a good example of this, coffee is another).

If I want a mild flavor I have to eat ONLY that thing (Shrimp, crab legs, steak fit that catagory)

Some flavors are powerful, but fade quickly for me (Mustard, horseradish fall here)

I also like to make a huge pot of soup with lots of veggies and lean meat, I can eat lots of this and it’s both low in calories and very good for me. Compared to snacking on other foods.

I appreciate the info, I never knew that certain tastes were not at all nose-dependent.