As families gather around the table this holiday season, many will be eager to fill their plates with protein, grains, and, of course, dessert. Vegetables are often difficult to sell, especially the bitter varieties known as cruciferous, a category that includes kale, mustard greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and more. Some people are interested in tart fruits.
In recent years, an aversion to eating bitter or pungent produce has led scientists to ramp up efforts to tweak plants’ DNA to reduce the enzymes that cause these tastes. The result is less bitter mustard greens, sweeter pineapple, and other crop varieties that have recently or are coming to market. But while such changes increase the produce’s popularity, they also reduce its health benefits.
The compounds that give cruciferous vegetables their pungent flavor are what make them so beneficial, they say. michael millera food scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. For example, sulforaphane, a bitter chemical found abundantly in vegetables, Antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory effects.
Experts predict that the taste of vegetables and fruits will change further in the coming years, as gene editing makes it easier than ever to change the taste of crops. The goal is to put more produce on people’s plates, but recipes for healthy meals can require a balance of flavors.
The origin of bitterness in plants and its aversion
Plants often produce bitter tastes as a means of protection. For example, the bitter taste of raw cruciferous vegetables results from two components, the metabolite glucosinolate and the enzyme myrosinase, which are stored in separate parts of the plant, mixing in the mouth during mastication. The resulting compounds are very exciting. “This is thought to reduce the flavor and make the plants less susceptible to insects and other predators,” Miller says.
