How Your Sense of Smell Helps You Savor Flavor | Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter | TED

In a recent survey,

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yi-Ping Cho (Marssi)

最近有一項調查，

a majority of respondents picked their sense of smell

大多數的受測者選擇嗅覺

as the one they'd be most willing to give up

是他們最願意放棄的

among the traditional five senses.

傳統五種感官之中的一種感官。

But if you love food,

但如果你熱愛食物，

you should be giving your nose much more credit.

你就該把更多功勞歸給你的鼻子。

Because it’s actually our sense of smell

因為，其實我們的嗅覺

that plays a huge role in our ability to process flavor.

對於我們處理味道的能力非常重要。

[Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter]

〔珍‧甘特醫生談身體的五四三〕

First, let's talk about how smell works,

首先，咱們來談談嗅覺是怎麼運作的，

from coffee to stinky trash.

從咖啡，到散發惡臭的垃圾。

The substances around us give off volatiles,

我們周遭的物質會釋出揮發成分，

which you can think of as tiny smell molecules.

可以把它們想成是小小的味道分子。

We breathe in these smell molecules,

我們呼吸時吸入這些小分子，

which then stimulate the olfactory sensory neurons

它們會刺激鼻子上方的嗅覺神經元。

that sit high in the nose.

Each of these neurons contains an odor receptor on its surface.

每一個嗅覺神經元在表面 都有一個嗅覺受器。

Once the odor receptors are triggered by these smell molecules,

一旦嗅覺受器被這些小分子給觸發，

the neurons send information about them to the brain.

神經元就會把相關資訊發送給大腦。

Here's what I think is so cool.

以下是我覺得很酷的一點。

The brain not only categorizes that information as a particular odor,

大腦不僅會把那些資訊 歸類為某種特定的氣味，

it may also begin to associate feelings,

它可能也會開始連結感覺，

like pleasure or disgust and other moods and emotions with that odor

比如把愉悅感、噁心感， 及其他心情及情緒

和那氣味連結起來，供未來參考。

for future reference.

For example, you sniff bacon, you eat it,

比如，當你聞到培根，放入口中，

your taste buds get salt,

你的味蕾會嚐到鹽，

and then your body gets a whack of fat,

你的身體得到一堆脂肪，

which is an energy source.

那是能量的來源。

So the brain loves it and attaches a positive label to it.

所以大腦很愛培根， 把它貼上正面的標籤。

The next time you smell bacon,

下次你聞到培根時，

和愉悅相關的感受就會出現。

a sensation associated with pleasure arises.

Now, there are a lot of smells out there,

世界上有很多氣味，

more than our 400 or so odor receptors can detect.

遠超過我們的嗅覺受器 能偵測的約四百種氣味。

But people with a healthy working sense of smell

但嗅覺很健康的人，

have odor receptors that can combine

嗅覺受器組合起來

to detect anywhere between 10,000

可偵測到一萬種

to more than a trillion different odors.

到至少一兆種的氣味。

Now, taste is completely different.

味覺完全不同。

It comes from taste receptors on our tongues and in our mouths.

它來自我們舌頭上 及口中的味覺受器。

Taste is limited to the basics: salty, sweet, bitter, sour

味道就限於基本的：鹹、甜、苦、酸，

還有頗有爭議的鮮美或可口。

and, somewhat controversially, umami or savory.

You can taste without smell,

不用聞也能嚐味道，

but anyone with a stuffy nose can attest

但鼻塞的人可以測試一下，

that's a pretty bland experience.

那是很乏味的感受。

That's because when we eat, for example, chewing pizza,

那是因為，當我們吃， 比如咀嚼披薩的時候，

the pizza releases volatiles that travel from our mouths and throat

披薩釋放出的揮發成分 會行經我們的嘴巴和喉嚨，

up through the nasal passage.

向上通過鼻道。

There, olfactory neurons get all the complex smells from the pizza

在那裡，嗅覺神經元 能取得披薩的複雜氣味，

and send that information to the brain.

並把那些資訊發送給大腦。

The smell and taste work together to help us enjoy food.

嗅覺和味覺通力合作， 讓我們能享受食物。

When our nose isn't working properly and food seems flavorless,

當鼻子無法正常運作， 食物似乎就很無味，

那是因為我們只能嚐到 那些基本的味道，

it's because we're only tasting those basic tastes

without any of the complex odors detected through smell.

少了所有能從嗅覺 偵測到的複雜氣味。

So the next time you savor an amazing flavor,

所以下次你品嚐到很棒的 風味時，要感謝你的鼻子。

thank your nose.

Our sense of smell is what brings nuance to what we eat.

因為有嗅覺，我們吃的東西 才能夠有細微的差別。