Hi. I’ve never asked this before but it’s been niggling for so long I had to. While I love pumpkin, and pumpkin pie. And I will say I’m a huge fan of carrot cake:
Why do I have a revulsion to most cooked carrots and/or sweet potatoes?
I’m able to eat carrots raw (and with no issue) by the pound. If the carrots are slightly blanched, I will also enjoy them but at a certain point, they become super unpalatable. I have never enjoyed sweet potatoes. A large portion of the people I know in the south think that pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie are very similar, but I could not disagree more!
I know that genetics play a large role in people’s tastes. Cultural influences are also important as is introduction to foods from an early age.
I know that I am one of the unlucky/lucky few that find cilantro literally tastes like basil flavored soap, and this has been pretty much proven to be genetic. Have there been studies on people and their perception of certain orange flavored foods?
Just like you said, taste preferences can vary widely from person to person, so it’s possible that you simply don’t enjoy the taste of cooked carrots or sweet potatoes. However, there may also be other factors at play. There is some research evidence that suggest that genetics play a role in taste preferences and aversions. For example, research has shown that some people may be genetically predisposed to taste bitterness more strongly than others, which can affect their enjoyment of certain foods.
In your case, in terms of cooked carrots and sweet potatoes specifically, it’s possible that you may be more sensitive to certain flavors or compounds in these vegetables, which can affect your enjoyment of them. What if some negative flavors get amplified in your case? Of course, more research is needed