5 Steps to Reset Your Taste Buds

Taste bud cells undergo continual turnover, even through adulthood, and their average lifespan has been estimated as approximately 10 days. In that time, you can actually retrain your taste buds to crave less refined foods and to really appreciate the vivacity of plant-based foods.

After eating a diet with less refined foods – think wheat, dairy and refined sugar, you will notice that if, and when, you reintroduce them to your diet, their flavour will be much more pronounced and may taste sweeter, or saltier, than they did before.

5 steps to reset your taste buds

1. Get in the kitchen. Cooking from scratch and avoiding processed foods is the best way to have more control over your diet. You’ll immediately be cutting out the added salt, sugars, oils and preservatives used in a lot of processed and store-bought meals. Try experimenting with lots of flavoursome ingredients like citrus, herbs, and spices to help brighten your palate.
   
2. Avoid wheat, dairy and refined sugars. It's this combination of high sugar, high carb, high fat foods that make you accustomed to taste-numbing foods and stop you from appreciating the sweet, sour, bitter flavours you get from vegetables. While you may not have an intolerance to wheat or dairy, eating foods that are designed to work with your body, not against it, will help the natural detoxification and resetting process. Thankfully, we now have great alternatives, with a plethora of plant-based ingredients on the market, and good quality gluten-free oats and flour readily available.
   
3. Try to reduce, or ideally eliminate, alcohol and caffeine. These both affect our blood sugar levels and it has been proven that when our blood sugar levels are more stable, we are less likely to crave quick fix foods and instead reach for fruit and vegetables, which will train your body to appreciate a more variety of flavours. Try simple swaps like having a cup of herbal tea in place of that extra caffeinated cup and alternate a glass of water with alcoholic drinks each round.
   
4. Try to eat between 5-10 portions of different coloured fruit and vegetables a day. This will ensure you become accustomed to eating a wider range of flavours, with a higher intake of nutrients. This way you will feel more nourished and satisfied, as well as more likely to appreciate food that doesn't have all the added sugars, salt and other nasties. Smoothies are a great way of upping your fruit and veg intake. For inspiration read our Guide to the Perfect Smoothie.
   
5. Make time for breakfast. Set yourself up to success so that you feel and nourished and satisfied from whole, unprocessed foods. When in a rush in the morning, it's common again to reach for sugary quick-fixes, which will set you off on the wrong foot again in terms of becoming attached to these foods. It’s worth getting up that extra 10 minutes earlier to enjoy a breakfast that contains slow-release carbohydrates to maintain steady energy levels, as well as a little protein, and healthy fats to help keep you feel fuller longer. We love porridge topped with nut butter, banana and a sprinkling of seeds. Overnight oats or our baked oat bites are great options if you struggle to find time for breakfast, as you can prep these beforehand.

Once you've followed these steps for a few weeks you will notice a difference in what you crave, having retrained your taste buds for the better. We make this even easier with our home delivery plans, delivering your meals for the entire day to your doorstep each morning. To truly reap the benefits, we recommend doing it for at least five-ten days, as this allows time for you to retrain your palette as well as fully detoxify the body. View our meal plans here.