Why Don’t We Like Healthy Food?

I was happily working as a private chef way back in the day. I loved that job: the different kitchens, the varying personalities of the families I cooked for; the varying tastes and desires. It was fun, challenging and rewarding work.

I was cooking for a family who were quite new to macrobiotics and plant-based eating. They hated every…single…dish I cooked. I knew it was a big change and I knew the challenges, but they had a family member with a health crisis so they really needed to alter their eating to support his path to wellness.

Each week another ingredient was dropped from the list of the already limited ingredients they would or could eat. I felt like I was down to brown rice and yellow squash as my options to cook. Each week, I arrived thinking this would be the day I would be fired.

One day, about a month into my work at their home, as I tried to figure out what to cook, my meager choices on the counter top, the family filed into the kitchen and lined up in front of me.

Firing squad, I thought?

They began to apologize for forcing me to change the way I cooked for them to accommodate their limited palates. I was confused, as I had changed absolutely nothing in my cooking. They went on to say that they had devoured what I had cooked the previous week and could not wait to see what was in store next. And although they were sorry they had forced me to change, they were delighted with the results.

I debated internally with myself. Dare I tell them that I had changed nothing, but their tastes had changed? I decided to wait until they had completely fallen in love with what I cooked. We had a great laugh together when I told them the truth. They were hooked and have become great cooks in their own right.

But it got me to thinking. What is it about that magic moment when you realize that the food you had been eating had masked the subtle layers of real food, hiding the delicious notes that would come to excite you?

Eschewing animal foods, processed sugars and excessive salt creates a gradual reawakening of your taste buds. Things seem a bit more flavorful, but at first, you think it’s a fluke.

And then suddenly, you’re tasting all the layers of all the ingredients. Plants become the soloists in the symphony of flavors on your tongue. Sweet, sour, sharp, pungent, salty all come alive, elevating your experience of food to a level you could not even imagine.

What happened? I would venture that among all of the ingredients in ultra-processed foods, animal fat is the most responsible for the tone deafness of our palates.

Yup; I’m going all vegan on you again.

It’s tough to imagine that animal fat is the main cause for what you consider the dullness of plants. But imagine butter melting into toast, cheese stretching off your pizza, bacon crackling on a griddle; these are all rich, satisfying sensations.

In truth though, they are like the loud, obnoxious guest at a party. They dominate and bully their way into everything you eat.

Food manufacturers (note that I did not call them producers, because they are not) know that animal fat is like the heroin of food (with sugar as its co-conspirator against your health). They know that fat, sugar and salt dull the tongue, leaving you slightly disappointed and wanting more as a result.

Sound familiar? This ‘bliss point’ as it’s known in the flavoring business hijacks your brain’s reward system and addicts you to keep that high coming.

And the worst of it is that once your palate is trained to love this criminal trio, whole, unprocessed foods taste like cardboard; like less than nothing. And so people struggle with unprocessed plant-based foods, recipes and meals, even as delicious as they are.

This trio of ingredients steals our real enjoyment of food in its natural state, simply prepared and fresh. We see the ads, grease running down people’s chins, fat oozing out of a burger. Filmed to look shiny and sexy, what chance does broccoli stand?

How about this? The seasons have changed and before we know it, the holidays will come roaring to life. Try something brave so you can sail through the rest of year living your healthiest life. Break up with the drug dealers manufacturing substances that they call foods, but in actuality are not. Eat real food. Take the time to let your mouth rediscover what food should and can taste like.

You’ll be surprised to discover there are foods that you never really tasted. There is a world of variety and natural flavor just waiting to welcome you and your taste buds. Real food is the only food fit for human consumption, so it’s time we turned our backs on the addictive substances that are hijacking our wellness and celebrate the gentle flavors and energy of plants. Whole grains, beans and vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and good quality fats will never let you down or leave you wanting. They will nourish you on every level, awakening your palate and your consciousness.

The irony is, health has never been complicated. It’s painfully simple.

Eat nutritious food. Move your body. Sleep. Push yourself where your heart rate gets higher and you sweat. Manage stress. Connect with people. Have fun and smile. Engage in those behaviors for as long as you can.

As the old tv ad once said, “try it; you’ll like it.”