Love the foods you hate

The episode explores why people dislike certain foods, citing both genetic and learned factors, and discusses techniques like 'masking'—pairing disliked foods with liked ones—to develop new preferences. It references expert opinions from Dr. Dana Small and dietician Claire Thornton-Wood, explaining concepts like neophobia and hardwired taste responses. No data or studies are cited, but behavioral frameworks like fear-based avoidance after negative experiences (e.g., 'dodgy prawn') are highlighted.

Learn a simple, practical technique—masking—to retrain food preferences backed by behavioral principles, useful for overcoming common aversions.

1. 01Food dislikes stem from both genetics (e.g., tasting coriander as soapy) and learned experiences (e.g., getting sick after eating prawns).
2. 02Masking—combining a disliked food with a liked flavor—can help overcome aversions, such as using chocolate to make insects palatable.
3. 03Neophobia, or fear of new things, especially foods, is a common psychological barrier that can diminish with exposure and positive associations.