Asked by Summer April on Jun 16, 2024
Verified
Seventy-year-old Mrs. Martinez finds that she must spice her food heavily or she cannot taste it. Unfortunately,her son often finds her cooking inedible because it is so spicy. What is the likely explanation for their taste differences?
A) Women have higher taste thresholds than men.
B) Men have higher taste thresholds than women.
C) Being 70 years old,Mrs. Martinez probably has fewer taste buds than her son.
D) All of these are likely explanations.
Taste Buds
Sensory organs located on the tongue that allow us to experience tastes, such as sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami.
Taste Thresholds
The minimum amount of a substance required for its taste to be recognized.
- Determine the positions and roles of gustatory receptors.
Verified Answer
CM
Ceaira Mckellare!Jun 17, 2024
Final Answer :
C
Explanation :
As people age, they tend to lose taste buds, and those that remain may shrink. This can lead to a decreased sensitivity to tastes, which might explain why Mrs. Martinez needs to add more spices to her food to taste it. This change is not specifically related to gender differences in taste thresholds but rather to the natural aging process affecting the number of functional taste buds.
Learning Objectives
- Determine the positions and roles of gustatory receptors.