Why are so many things that are healthy so bad tasting and so many tasty things so unhealthy?

Answer 1

I agree that it is, in part, how one is raised. I was raised with an abundance of fruits and veggies in the house, readily available for snacking. Potato chips, cookies, cakes, etc. were occasional treats. I never liked potato chips (but lied French fries). To this day, I prefer a baked or slightly boiled potato over chips and fries. With either one, I will either add some organic ketchup or some Smart Balance spread. (I used to eat conventional ketchup and margarine, grew up on them, but I've learned what is in them and I don't touch them anymore.) I once told my husband's nephew a couple of years ago that I didn't like potato chips. He flat out told me that I was crazy and I told him that I didn't have them much growing up and never developed a taste for them. On the other hand my husband grew up in a home where potato chips and other pure junk "food" was/is readily available. My husband's younger sister will only eat vegetables if they're drowned in purely fatty dressing. To me, that defeats the purpose of the veggies in both taste and nutrition. (Makes me think of the Hidden Valley commercials.) It took awhile after I changed and started to eat healthier (I didn't become a vegetarian until we were married for a few years. I began to learn from where meat comes and other stuff in my "food" and began to realize what I was and wasn't doing to myself and I changed.) So, it took my husband some time, but even now he's eating much better. He still eats meat and dairy, just not daily, usually when we go out for dinner. The two junkiest things we have on our pantry shelves are all natural chocolate granola bars and whole wheat tortilla chips (both from Trader Joe's.)

I do not care for any form of pure junk food anymore. Yes, I liked it as an adult but I was eating it more because I could. There is something to training and changing the taste buds as well.

I also think there is something to the chemicals in the food, like the high fructose corn syrup. I've heard and/or read a few times that it's made sweeter so one doesn't register that he's full so will eat some more, probably of the same stuff. Great marketing gimmick.

As I read the responses, I enjoyed a treat of fresh raspberries, which I don't get often. Even better now since they're in season. Yum.

Anyway, this is just my two cents.

Answer 2

The thing about "healthy" and "unhealthy" foods is that they don't exist. You need everything in even the most unhealthy food in order to live (maybe not MSG). The problem is that tastebud evolution hasn't caught up to technology. The things that taste the best, fats and sugars, are high-energy foods. The sort of stuff that can keep you alive when you are scrounging in the wild. So ancient man evolved to seek those foods out whenever they could, which wasn't very often. Modern tech lets us get as much fat and sugar as we want, much more than we need, and whenever we want. So, because of our primitive tastes, we tend to overdose on a good thing.

Answer 3

I don't know if you will believe this, but I swear it is the truth. I have been eating fairly healthy for a number of years (since 2002) and my taste buds have changed. I no longer find the unhealthy things to taste good. My body doesn't even crave anything like that anymore. I actually find myself wanting things that are healthy for me. I think it just takes time.

Answer 4

It's just what you're used to.
When i was growing up, my mom struggle with an eating disorder, so there was pretty much only fruit and vegetables in the house.
I was just used to eating all that, so now i like the taste of most fruits and vegetables, while i don't fancy sweets or chocolates.
If you cut out junk food for two whole weeks, it's amazing how much you don't crave it after than :)

Answer 5

chemicals in the foods make it taste good. but thats just what makes it unhealthy. natural foods, like fruits are healthy, because they grow with the vitamins needed for your body. things such as noodle packs, they have this flavour thing, which is made up of M-S-G which makes your brain think its yummy, but its really just chemical. and maybe you won't believe this, but if they put M-S-G is ANYTHING. it'll taste good. so watch what you eat.

Answer 6

Its really in the way we were brought up! If our parents would have just started us on good things, like veggies and fruit, then thats what we would crave! Instead they snuck us treats and had cake on special occasions. Which links the mind to happy times! Oh well though right life is the way it is!

Answer 7

Tasty is an illusion. Get accustomed to not bombarding your palatte with sugar to allow your taste buds to percieve subtler flavors that you will miss totally by assaulting your mouth with sugar.

Answer 8

that's not real you're only used to ingesting those issues. Human get used to a style after in common terms 2 weeks. in case you eat some thing you do in comparison to for 2 weeks ( perhaps a splash longer) you will get used to it. i finished ingesting Meat and now it seem style of disgusting in a fashion.

Answer 9

Sounds like your perceptions are distorted.

Get a good cook book and look up interesting ways to prepare the good foods that presently taste dad.

Try to rationalize good eating. Tell yourself "it's good for me".

Don't let your stomach override your brain.

Answer 10

I don't know -- cuz life isn't fair.....I've been working on finding fat free "fun food" myself that satisfies me -- you know......"comfort food" --- to me that means crunch and tastes good. I got celery for the crunch. I made a mixture of Fat Free Cream Cheese (I know, it usually sucks but if you mix it, it's good), Fat Free Refried Beans, and Kraft Free (fat free) Cheddar Cheese and heated it up. It looks extremely fattening and tastes fattening and the celery adds to the crunch. I know there's sodium in the refried beans but I was going for no fat -- it's really delicious and I usually hate fat free cream cheese --- try it if you like that sort of thing. Not necessarily "healthy" but it's not fattening!!