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Josh Randall
Mrs. Stevens & Mrs. Radcliffe
Physical Science
13 January 2017
Do Savory or Sweet Foods Have A Greater Effect On Test Scores More?

When I was about 10 I was watching a cooking show and it had a lot of good looking

food. This show then made me want to start cooking because of all the tasty foods I could make.

I began to start cooking my own food. So, it inspired me to do a science experiment based on

food. If I give the same amount of savory and sweet food to the test subjects, then savory foods

will affect test score more.

Why Do People Crave Junk Food Rather Than Fruits and Vegetables?

The reason why we crave junk foods rather than fruits and vegetables is because they are

more pleasurable to us. Mood and stress can also be the reason for craving sweet foods. If we are

stressed or in a bad mood these foods will act like reward foods, thus the craving for them

(Smellie). The amount of sleep you get can cause you to crave junk food as well. People can also

become addicted to sweet foods causing them to constantly crave them (Bryan).

How Long Does It Take Someone's Body To Digest Food?

And How Does Food Affect the Brain?

Did you known that it takes food about 4-12 hours to digest food and fruits digest the

fastest. It takes meat 2-3 days to digest (Oz)? Foods with fructose corn syrup can increase levels

of stress hormones in the brain. If adolescents consume large amounts of sugar it can lead to

depression and anxiety later in life. When we were in the womb we were influenced by the foods

and juices our moms drank. For example, if your mom likes to drink carrot juice then you are
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more likely to like carrots (Burrell).

How Do Your Taste Buds Work?

Taste buds aren't just on our tongue, they have been found on the roof of our mouths as

well. They have receptors for all tastes including salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and umami. They help

us survive by helping us stay away from bitter, poisonous, and rotten food (Do). They also are

sensory organs and have sensitive hairs called microvilli. These hairs send messages to your

brain to tell you how something taste. On average we have 10,000 taste buds that are replaced

every two weeks (What).

Why Are Taste Buds Important?

Taste buds help prepare you for digestion by activating the liquids that help break down

food. They are also really important because they help us determine whether or not a certain food

is good to eat. They help us stay healthy by not eating food that are too sweet. They also help us

tell if a food is edible or not (North). Taste buds can also cause us to get emotional when we eat

food. For example if the food tastes good then we get excited and happy. They can also

distinguish the five different flavor types which helps us taste the different flavors in the food we

eat (Does).

What Types Of Foods Aid In Brain Function?

Wild salmon really helps your brain function because it contain slots of omega-3.

Avocados are also great for helping brain function and also reduce blood pressure. Whole grains

can lessen the risk of potential heart disease. It also has omega-3 and vitamin E. Dark Chocolate

contains caffeine as well as antioxidant properties. The caffeine can improve focus and

concentration (Sorgen).
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How Does Food Affect the Brain?

Did you know that trans fats in food can create memory loss overtime? If we eat heavy

greasy foods before bed then we will have a hard time going to sleep because the food is still

being digested (Walia). In 2008 a survey was done and revealed that teenagers go through more

sugary drinks than any other age group. A study was done where two pregnant monkeys were

given different diets. The monkey with the healthier diet gave birth to a monkey that enjoyed

more healthy foods where the baby monkey of the mom who had junk food prefered junk food

over healthy food (Burrell).

If I give the same amount of savory and sweet food to the test subjects, then savory foods

will affect test score more. During my research I found it interesting that foods with fructose corn

syrup can increase levels of stress hormones in the brain. I also found it interesting that if

adolescents consume large amounts of sugar it can lead to depression and anxiety later in life

(Burrell). I learned that trans fats in food can create memory loss overtime. It was also insightful

to learn that when we eat heavy greasy foods before bed, we will have a hard time going to sleep

because the food is still being digested (Walia).

Works Cited
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Amatulli, Jenna, and Anna Almendrala. "This Is What Food Does to Your Brain." The

Huffington Post. N.p., 27 June 16. Web. 8 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/what-food-does-to-your-brain-food_us_576aec34e

4b0c0252e782a67>.

Burrell, Teal. "How Diet Influences the Brain." BrainFacts.org. N.p., 15 May 2015. Web. 7 Nov.

2016.

<http://www.brainfacts.org/Across-the-Lifespan/Diet-and-Exercise/Articles/2015/Lets-Eat

-How-Diet-Influences-the-Brain>.

Derek. "Reasons People Eat Junk Food Instead of Healthy Food." LIVESTRONG.COM.

LIVESTRONG.COM, 19 Apr. 2015. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.livestrong.com/article/392358-reasons-why-people-eat-junk-food-over-healt

hy-food/>.

"How Does Our Sense of Taste Work? - National Library of Medicine - PubMed Health."

National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 17

Aug. 2016. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.

<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0072592/>.

"How Do Taste Buds Work?" Smithsonian Tween Tribune. Smithsonian, 8 Apr. 2015. Web. 02

Nov. 2016. <http://www.tweentribune.com/article/tween56/how-do-taste-buds-work/>.

North America, Ajinomoto. "The Importance of Taste." The Importance of Taste. Ajinomoto Co.

Inc, n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2016. <http://www.msginfo.com/about_taste_imp.asp>.

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Oz, Dr., and Dr. Michael Roizen. "One Account. All of Google." Google Docs. ShareCare, n.d.

Web. 07 Nov. 2016.

<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yhKnlXBBxs7rE0PnP3aIwlZn7uDEbFo4y6-dnv5

xT7E/edit>.

North America, Ajinomoto. "The Importance of Taste." The Importance of Taste. Ajinomoto Co.

Inc, n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2016. <http://www.msginfo.com/about_taste_imp.asp>.

Smellie, Alice. "Why We Crave Sugary Snacks... and Not Fruit and Veg." Mail Online.

Associated Newspapers, 01 May 2011. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1382217/Why-crave-junk-food-fruit-veg.html.

Sorgen, Carol. "Best Brain Foods for Brain Function, Health, and Memory." WebMD. WebMD,

n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/eat-smart-healthier-brain#2>.

Walia, Arjun. "10 Scientific Studies Proving GMOs Can Be Harmful To Human Health."

Collective Evolution. N.p., 8 Apr. 2014. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/04/08/10-scientific-studies-proving-gmos-can-

be-harmful-to-human-health/>.

"What Are Taste Buds?" KidsHealth. The Nemours Foundation, Oct. 2013. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

<https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/taste-buds.html>.