First Bite : How We Learn to Eat

We are not born knowing what to eat; as omnivores it is something we each have to figure out for ourselves. From childhood onward, we learn how big a “portion” is and how sweet is too sweet. We learn to enjoy green vegetables—or not. But how does this education happen? What are the origins of taste?In __First Bite__, award-winning food writer Bee Wilson draws on the latest research from food psychologists, neuroscientists, and nutritionists to reveal that our food habits are shaped by a whole host of factors: family and culture, memory and gender, hunger and love. Taking the reader on a journey across the globe, Wilson introduces us to people who can only eat foods of a certain color; prisoners of war whose deepest yearning is for Mom’s apple pie; a nine year old anosmia sufferer who has no memory of the flavor of her mother’s cooking; toddlers who will eat nothing but hotdogs and grilled cheese sandwiches; and researchers and doctors who have pioneered new and effective ways to persuade children to try new vegetables. Wilson examines why the Japanese eat so healthily, whereas the vast majority of teenage boys in Kuwait have a weight problem—and what these facts can tell Americans about how to eat better.The way we learn to eat holds the key to why food has gone so disastrously wrong for so many people. But Wilson also shows that both adults and children have immense potential for learning new, healthy eating habits. An exploration of the extraordinary and surprising origins of our tastes and eating habits, __First Bite__ also shows us how we can change our palates to lead healthier, happier lives. We are not born knowing what to eat; as omnivores it is something we each have to figure out for ourselves. From childhood onward, we learn how big a "portion" is and how sweet is too sweet. We learn to enjoy green vegetables — or not. But how does this education happen? What are the origins of taste? In First Bite , award-winning food writer Bee Wilson draws on the latest research from food psychologists, neuroscientists, and nutritionists to reveal that our food habits are shaped by a whole host of factors: family and culture, memory and gender, hunger and love. Taking the reader on a journey across the globe, Wilson introduces us to people who can only eat foods of a certain color; prisoners of war whose deepest yearning is for Mom's apple pie; a nine year old anosmia sufferer who has no memory of the flavor of her mother's cooking; toddlers who will eat nothing but hotdogs and grilled cheese sandwiches; and researchers and doctors who have pioneered new and effective ways to persuade children to try new vegetables. Wilson examines why the Japanese eat so healthily, whereas the vast majority of teenage boys in Kuwait have a weight problem — and what these facts can tell Americans about how to eat better. The way we learn to eat holds the key to why food has gone so disastrously wrong for so many people. But Wilson also shows that both adults and children have immense potential for learning new, healthy eating habits. An exploration of the extraordinary and surprising origins of our tastes and eating habits, First Bite also shows us how we can change our palates to lead healthier, happier lives. In First Bite, Acclaimed Food Historian Bee Wilson Delves Deep Into The Latest Research From Food Psychologists, Neuroscientists, And Nutritionists To Reveal That Our Food Habits Are Shaped By Family And Culture, Memory And Gender, Hunger And Love. We Do Not Come Into The World With An Innate Sense Of Taste Or Nutrition As Omnivores, We Have To Learn How And What To Eat, How Sweet Is Too Sweet And What Food Will Give Us The Most Energy For The Coming Day. Drawing On The Psychology Of Eating, She Shows That It Is Possible, Despite Our Dysfunctional Food Industry And Habits, To Feed Ourselves Better. The Key, She Reveals, Is To Learn To Take Pleasure In Eating Healthily-- Likes And Dislikes : With Beets -- Memory : With Milk -- Children's Food : With Birthday Cake -- Feeding : With Lunchbox -- Brothers And Sisters : With Chocolate -- Hunger : With Breakfast Cereal -- Disorder : With Potato Chips -- Change : With Chili -- Epilogue: This Is Not Advice. Bee Wilson ; With Illustrations By Annabel Lee. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. We do not come into the world with an innate sense of taste and nutrition; as omnivores, we have to learn how and what to eat, how sweet is too sweet, and what food will give us the most energy for the coming day. But how does this education happen? What are the origins of taste? In First Bite , the beloved food writer Bee Wilson draws on the latest research from food psychologists, neuroscientists, and nutritionists to reveal that our food habits are shaped by a whole host of factors: family and culture, memory and gender, hunger and love. An exploration of the extraordinary and surprising origins of our tastes and eating habits?from people who can only eat foods of a certain color to an amnesiac who can eat meal after meal without getting full? First Bite also shows us how we can change our palates to lead healthier, happier lives "In First Bite, acclaimed food historian Bee Wilson delves deep into the latest research from food psychologists, neuroscientists, and nutritionists to reveal that our food habits are shaped by family and culture, memory and gender, hunger and love. We do not come into the world with an innate sense of taste or nutrition as omnivores, we have to learn how and what to eat, how sweet is too sweet and what food will give us the most energy for the coming day. Drawing on the psychology of eating, she shows that it is possible, despite our dysfunctional food industry and habits, to feed ourselves better. The key, she reveals, is to learn to take pleasure in eating healthily"-- Provided by publisher Preface Introduction 1 Likes and Dislikes : With Beets 2 Memory : With Milk 3 Children's Food : With Birthday Cake 4 Feeding : With Lunchbox 5 Brothers and Sisters : With Chocolate 6 Hunger : With Breakfast Cereal 7 Disorder : With Potato Chips 8 Change : With Chili Epilogue This Is Not Advice Acknowledgments Notes Further Reading Bibliography Index.