To us, Chang’s essay gets to the heart of the matter. Through the lens of his theory, we’ve come to see it this way: strong flavors, namely umami, mark a surge of intensity in the flow of experience. It also becomes clear that paradox itself is at the heart of contemporary consumption.

For example:

“This shouldn’t be good but it is”

“This doesn’t see... See more

Taste only triggers liking. This is why artificial sweeteners are not able to replace sugars, they only trigger liking but not the craving in the gut. They do not signal the brain that it doesn’t need to crave anymore.

Ventral medial hypothalamus: control station for hunger, eating and satiety through multiple populations of neurons, which respectively control hunger and satiety.