Deliciousness of food and a proper balance in fatty acid composition as means to improve human health and regulate food intake

Ole G Mouritsen

doi:10.1186/s13411-016-0048-2

Abstract

Diet and lifestyle are not only related to wellbeing but also have dramatic effects on the burdens of ill health and non-communicable diseases. Drawing upon anthropological evidence for human evolution and the chemistry of the brain, as well on the physiology of taste, a brief review is provided on the effects of food composition and food flavor on health, wellbeing, and the quality of life. Our ancestors’ access to the particular fatty acids of marine food sources and man’s early use of the fire to heat-treat food have been prime determinants for the evolution of our relatively big brains and our craving for foodstuff characterized by sweet and umami flavors. The increasing unbalance of fatty acids in our diets appears to have severe effects on the condition of our neural system and the brain, leading to a severe increase in brain disorders and mental diseases. Similarly, a lack of deliciousness in prepared meals may be a possible reason for poor nutritional management and excess intake of sugar, salt, and fat. These changed conditions are suggested as reasons why our brain, the flavor of our food, and hence our health are under siege.

Highlights

The consequences of malnutrition and critical unbalances in the diet with regard to fatty acids, sugar, salt, and fat are becoming more and more manifest in the Western world and are gradually influencing the general health conditions for populations in developing countries
The unbalance in our food with respect to the contents of fat, sugar, and salt is likely only to become exacerbated unless we find a way to produce delicious and nutritious food with less sugar, salt, and omega-6 fat
When we add that this type of food may be very fatty with an improper balance of the fatty acids, it becomes clear why the food we like to eat [60] is the food that threaten our health and contributes to the global burden of ill health, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and mental diseases

Summary

Introduction

The consequences of malnutrition and critical unbalances in the diet with regard to fatty acids, sugar, salt, and fat are becoming more and more manifest in the Western world and are gradually influencing the general health conditions for populations in developing countries. When we add that this type of food may be very fatty with an improper balance of the fatty acids, it becomes clear why the food we like to eat [60] is the food that threaten our health and contributes to the global burden of ill health, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and mental diseases It appears that umami, in particular in the Western world, is overlooked as a powerful (and evolutionary determined) way to impart delicious taste to food and meals that are healthy [22, 44, 51, 79, 82], we have plenty of sources of umami in the Western cuisines. There have been some reports suggesting that glutamate may induce obesity and overweight, but recent studies indicate that this is not the case [18] It appears that there is a need to focus attention on what provides deliciousness to food, and umami may be part of the solution to provide tasty, healthy, and nutritious meals without excess of salt, sugar, and fat

Findings

Discussion

Conclusions