(MedicalDaily) - The tongue is able to recognize five basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami — a Japanese loanword associated with savory food like meat and mushrooms. However, the flavors we experience when eating and drinking aren't so simple. Just like our other senses, taste can be manipulated by a variety of factors that are outside our control.

Up to 80 percent of the flavors we taste actually come from our sense of smell, which is why there's a link between aroma and appetite. As food aromas enhance appetite, that huger then comes around and increases our sensitivity to food aromas. Dr. Christina Major, a holistic nutritionist, naturopathic doctor, and “Health Recovery Expert” at Crystal Holistic Health Consulting in Sunbury, Pa., told Medical Daily in an email, “An overlooked area of food tastes is getting used to what we taste frequently.” We learn to build a tolerance to the smell and taste of foods, such as spicy foods, when we eat them often, but our acquired desensitization to certain tastes can also be influenced by a host of surprising factors, from a bittersweet symphone to a sweet emotion.

Color Of Food

Our taste buds help us experience the five basic groups of taste, which send signals to our brain to interpret flavor. However, because we look at food before eating, our eyes send signals to our brain well before our taste buds get the chance to process the flavor. The color of our food can pre-determine how we will perceive the taste and flavor of our meal.

A 2009 study published in the Journal of Sensory Studies found people’s judgments of flavor identity are often affected by the changing of a food or drink’s color. The participants in the study rated wine as tasting 50 percent sweeter if drunk under red light rather than under blue or white. This supports the popular theory that we’re attracted to red food because it signals ripeness, sweetness, and calories. It helps us determine the sources of enjoyment are when it comes to eating and drinking.

Color Of Kitchenware

From our plates to our mugs, color can have a significant impact on how we perceive the taste of food. A 2013 study published in the journal Flavour found participants felt that a red, strawberry-flavored mousse presented on a white plate was sweeter and more flavorful than when it was presented on a black plate. This puts emphasis on restaurants that it's important to present dishes in a visually appealing way.

A recent study also published in the journal Flavour found the color of our mugs can influence how we taste our coffee. Drinking coffee from a blue mug made participants believe the coffee was sweeter, when compared to white or transparent mug. These findings have implications for café owners, baristas, and crockery manufacturers who should carefully consider the color of their mugs and other kitchenware.