블리스 포인트(bliss point)
설탕, 지방, 소금의 최적 비율을 찾아 맛을 극대화하는 방식으로, 뇌의 보상 시스템을 활성화해 중독성을 유발
The "bliss point" in the context of food refers to the specific combination of sugar, salt, and fat that maximizes a consumer's pleasure and satisfaction. This term, coined by Howard Moskowitz, describes the point where food is most enjoyable and palatable. Beyond this point, adding more of any of these ingredients can actually diminish the overall enjoyment.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Food Science and the Bliss Point:
Food scientists and chefs utilize the concept of the bliss point to optimize the taste and appeal of their products. They experiment with different ratios of sugar, salt, and fat to create a balance that triggers the brain's reward system, leading to increased consumption and a desire for more.
The Role of Sugar, Salt, and Fat:
Sugar provides sweetness and energy, salt enhances flavor and balance, and fat contributes to texture and richness. When these ingredients are combined in the right proportions, they can create a synergistic effect that is more rewarding than any of them alone.
The Brain's Reward System:
The bliss point is linked to the brain's reward system, which releases neurotransmitters like dopamine when we eat. This release creates a feeling of pleasure and reinforces the behavior of eating, making us want to continue consuming the food.
The Food Industry and the Bliss Point:
The concept of the bliss point is particularly relevant in the food industry, where companies often aim to create products that are highly palatable and addictive. By understanding and utilizing the principles of the bliss point, they can maximize consumer satisfaction and drive sales.
Potential Downsides:
While the bliss point can be a valuable tool for food development, it's also important to be aware of its potential downsides. Foods designed to trigger the bliss point can sometimes lead to overeating and cravings, especially when combined with other factors like portion sizes and marketing techniques.
Bliss point (food)
The bliss point is the amount of an ingredient such as salt, sugar or fat which optimizes deliciousness (in the formulation of food products).
Pioneering work on the bliss point was carried out by American market researcher and psychophysicist Howard Moskowitz, known for his successful work in product creation and optimization for foods ranging from spaghetti sauce to soft drinks.1 Moskowitz used the term, bliss point, to describe "that sensory profile where you like food the most."
The bliss point for salt, sugar, or fat is a range within which perception is that there is neither too much nor too little, but the "just right" amount of saltiness, sweetness, or richness. The human body has evolved to favor foods delivering these tastes: the brain responds with a "reward" in the form of a jolt of endorphins, remembers what we did to get that reward, and makes us want to do it again, an effect run by dopamine, a neurotransmitter. The human body needs salt for balancing fluids, sugar for energy, and fat for composing the brain.4 Besides the physical and taste need for sugar, salt, and fat, foods that contain high amounts of these ingredients are typically visually appealing. The visual appeal can override suppressing appetite hormones for many people to consume these goods.5 Combinations of sugar, fat, and salt act synergistically, and are more rewarding than any one alone. In food product optimization, the goal is to include two or three of these nutrients at their bliss point.
Applications of the bliss point in the food industry have been criticized for encouraging addiction-like behaviors around eating which may contribute to obesity and other health issues.
Research
Using 9 experiments, the relationship between pleasantness, sweetness, and concentrations of various sugars was able to be determined. This was conducted by Howard R. Moskowitz at the Pioneering Research Laboratory. Using the results of his studies and those from other scientists, Moskowitz was able to provide some science behind the idea of Bliss Point.
Set up
During the first 7 experiments, 32 sugars were judged based on sweetness and pleasantness. This was done by separate groups of observers, chosen from a pool of volunteers. For the eighth experiment only 10 sugars were judged by 12 observers. And for the final experiment, only glucose and tagatose were judged by 13 observers.
Scale
Each observer was trained to match numbers to stimuli based on apparent length and area. There was no restriction to the number scale. Therefore, the scientist has to standardize the modulus of each observer. The 5 glucose stimuli that were given to each observer were multiplied by a factor that made the mean equal to 10. This served as a standardized scale across all 9 experiments. Using this method guaranteed the ratios of each observer's judgments and the slope of the sweetness function, S = kC^n (S: sweetness, C: concentration, k: relative sweetness), was unaffected.
Results
All the results were analyzed through PSYCHOFIT, a computer program that provided summary statistics and least-squares estimates. The results showed that the relative sweetness of sugars changes across all concentrations similarly; meaning it is nontonic. The pleasantness of sugars are not monotonic with concentration. However, the results show they depart from linearity at the extremes of concentration.
생존 위해 필수인 ‘단맛·짠맛’ 과하면 독
왜 사람은 단맛과 짠맛에 열광하며 ‘단짠 음식’을 좋아하는가?
맛은 인간이 생존을 위해 발달한 본능적인 감각이다. 예전에 아이에게 엄마 젖을 떼게 할 때, 쓴맛이 강한 고삼차를 젖에 바른 후 젖을 물렸다. 맛 개념이 없는 유아도 쓴맛을 본능적으로 싫어해서 더 이상 엄마 젖을 가까이하지 않았다고 한다. 그러나 유아에게 단맛의 설탕물을 주면 계속 달라고 보챈다. 본능적으로 인간에게는 좋은 맛이 있고 싫은 맛이 있다는 것이다.
맛은 인간이 반드시 먹어야 할 것을 결정해 주는 ‘센서’ 역할을 한다. 단맛과 짠맛은 생존을 위한 반드시 먹어야 하는 ‘본능의 맛’으로 기억돼 있다. 하지만 쓴맛이나 신맛은 성장하면서 체득하는 맛이기 때문에 ‘문명의 맛’이라고 한다.
본능의 맛 중 단맛은 대부분 탄수화물 때문에 생긴다. 탄수화물 중 전분처럼 큰 탄수화물은 단맛이 거의 없고, 설탕처럼 작은 탄수화물은 단맛이 강하다. 탄수화물은 유사 이래 모든 인류의 주식이었고 지금도 마찬가지다. 인간에게 가장 안전하고 빠르게 생존, 생활에너지를 제공하는 영양소이기 때문이다. 물론 단백질과 지질도 에너지원이 될 수 있지만 주식으로 하기에는 부작용이 너무 많다. 생존 필수영양소인 탄수화물이 단맛을 내므로 우리 유전자는 단맛을 꼭 먹어야 하는 것으로 인식한다. 그래서 단맛이 맛있게 느껴져 본능적으로 단맛의 유혹에 빠지게 된다.
단맛과 함께 생존에 필수적인 맛이 짠맛이다. 짠맛을 내는 대표적인 물질이 소금인데, 소금은 생존의 필수미네랄인 나트륨을 공급한다. 나트륨은 체내에서 근육의 수축 이완, 신경 자극 전달, 혈액의 농도 조절 등 아주 중요한 역할을 한다. 나트륨 농도가 낮으면 처음에는 근육 마비 메스꺼움 구토 현기증 등의 증세를 보이다 좀 더 심해지면 쇼크가 오고 혼수 상태에 빠지며 결국 사망에 이르게 된다. 그래서 우리 DNA는 짠맛을 생존의 맛으로 기억하고 본능적으로 끊임없이 우리에게 짠맛이 나는 음식을 먹도록 유혹하는 것이다.
미국의 정신물리학자인 모스코비츠는 사람이 느끼는 ‘지고한 행복’을 ‘블리스 포인트(Bliss Point)’라고 했다. 음식의 블리스 포인트는 단맛과 짠맛의 절묘한 조화에 의해 생긴다. 적절한 양의 단맛과 짠맛 음식이 몸으로 들어오면 뇌는 생존을 위해 가장 중요한 물질이 체내에 들어왔다는 환영의 표시로 엔도르핀을 분비해 더없는 행복감을 느끼게 하기 때문이다. 그래서 단짠의 유혹에 계속 빠지는 것이다.
모든 인간은 생존을 위해서 반드시 단맛이 나는 탄수화물과 짠맛이 나는 소금을 먹어야 한다. 이를 먹지 않고 살 수 있는 사람은 없다. 따라서 인간의 DNA는 단맛과 짠맛을 생존을 위한 필수적인 맛으로 기억하고 있다.
결국 인간은 생존을 위해 평생 ‘단짠의 유혹’ 속에서 살게 된다. 단짠 음식은 먹는 사람에게 행복감을 주는 것은 사실이다. 하지만 세상 어떤 일이나 장르에서도 과한 것은 문제가 된다. 과도한 단짠 음식의 섭취는 결국에는 고통과 불행의 원인이 된다.
우리가 매일같이 먹는 밥 속에는 포도당 형태로 단맛이 숨어 있다. 평생 먹는 밥도 양과 질을 따져 먹지 않으면 단맛의 반격으로 내 몸의 건강을 잃을 수 있다. 음식을 과식하게 되면, 여분의 밥 대부분은 체지방으로 저장된다. 그 결과 만병의 근원인 비만과 내장지방이 증가하게 되고 당뇨병 고혈압 고지혈증 심장병 같은 대사성 질환에 이르게 된다. 밥의 질도 중요하다. 백미로 지은 흰밥의 전분은 먹는 즉시 분해돼 혈당을 갑자기 높여(혈당 스파이크) 당뇨병의 원인을 제공한다. 생존을 위해 먹은 밥이 오히려 사람의 수명을 재촉하는 꼴이 되는 셈이다. 밥은 잡곡과 콩이나 팥을 섞은 혼합 잡곡으로 지어서 먹는 것이 우리 몸을 위해서 좋다.
단맛이 나는 음료수나 반찬도 문제다. 단맛은 설탕 과당 등의 당류 때문에 나는 것이다. 당류는 혈당 스파이크를 촉진하고 비만의 원인이 될 뿐만 아니라 우리 몸 속에서 염증의 원인이 된다. 결국에는 만병의 근원이 될 수 있다는 말이다. 건강한 삶을 원한다면 단맛을 멀리하는 지혜와 결단이 필요하다.
음식은 간이 맞아야 맛이 있다고 한다. 음식의 간은 대부분 소금으로 맞춘다. 간장 액젓 된장 등의 장류도 사용하지만, 장류의 짠맛 역시 소금 때문에 생긴 것이다. 소금은 염소와 나트륨으로 구성된 물질인데, 문제는 나트륨이다. 나트륨은 우리 몸의 삼투압 조절 등 사람의 생존을 위해 반드시 섭취해야 하는 필수 미네랄이지만, 이를 과도하게 섭취하면 인체에 치명적 문제를 일으킨다.
나트륨의 과도한 섭취는 혈압 상승, 뇌졸중, 심근경색 등의 심장 질환을 일으킨다. 또한 신장 질환 위암 골다공증 천식 비만의 원인이 된다. 특히 우리 국민의 3대 주요 사망 원인인 위암 뇌혈관 질환 심장 질환에 모두 나트륨의 과다 섭취가 관여한다. 짠맛이 우리 몸을 제대로 반격하는 것이다.
단짠 음식은 맛이 있어서 먹을 때 행복한 순간인 블리스 포인트(bliss point)를 느낀다. 하지만 단짠의 반격은 치명적이다. 머지않은 미래에 온몸으로 느끼는 고통의 순간인 미저리 포인트(misery point)를 맞이하게 된다. 음식에 있어서도 과유불급(過猶不及)을 다시 한번 생각해 본다. 지나친 것은 부족한 것보다 못할 수도 있다는 사실을 기억해야 한다.
Sweet and salty tastes are essential for survival, but too much of them is poisonous
Why do people go crazy over sweet and salty tastes and like ‘sweet and salty foods’?
Taste is an instinctive sense that humans developed for survival. In the past, when weaning babies from their mother’s milk, they would put bitter gourd tea on their breasts and then breastfeed. It is said that infants, who do not have a concept of taste, instinctively dislike bitter tastes and no longer come near their mother’s breasts. However, if you give sweet sugar water to infants, they will keep asking for it. Instinctively, humans have good tastes and bad tastes.
Taste acts as a ‘sensor’ that determines what humans must eat. Sweetness and saltiness are remembered as ‘instinctive tastes’ that must be eaten for survival. However, bitterness and sourness are tastes that we acquire as we grow up, so they are called ‘tastes of civilization.
Most of the sweetness among instinctive tastes is caused by carbohydrates. Among carbohydrates, large carbohydrates like starch are almost sweet, while small carbohydrates like sugar are very sweet. Carbohydrates have been the staple food of all mankind since the beginning of time, and they are still the same today. Because it is the nutrient that provides the safest and fastest survival and living energy to humans. Of course, proteins and lipids can also be energy sources, but there are too many side effects to use them as staple foods. Since carbohydrates, which are essential nutrients for survival, are sweet, our genes recognize that we must eat sweet foods. Therefore, sweet foods taste delicious and we instinctively fall for the temptation of sweet foods. Along with sweet foods, salty foods are essential for survival. The most representative substance that produces salty foods is salt, which supplies sodium, an essential mineral for survival. Sodium plays a very important role in the body, such as muscle contraction and relaxation, nerve impulse transmission, and blood concentration control. When sodium concentration is low, symptoms such as muscle paralysis, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness appear at first, and if it gets worse, shock occurs, coma occurs, and eventually death occurs. Therefore, our DNA remembers salty foods as the taste of survival and instinctively continuously tempts us to eat salty foods.
Moskowitz, an American psychophysicist, called the ‘supreme happiness’ that people feel the ‘Bliss Point.’ The Bliss Point of food is created by the exquisite harmony of sweet and salty tastes. When the right amount of sweet and salty food enters the body, the brain secretes endorphins as a welcoming sign that the most important substance for survival has entered the body, making us feel a sense of utmost happiness. That’s why we continue to fall for the temptation of sweet and salty tastes.
All humans must eat sweet carbohydrates and salt to survive. No one can live without eating them. Therefore, human DNA remembers sweetness and saltiness as essential tastes for survival.
In the end, humans live their entire lives in the ‘temptation of sweet and salty’ in order to survive. It is true that sweet and salty foods give happiness to those who eat them. However, excessive consumption of sweet and salty foods is a problem in any work or genre in the world. Excessive consumption of sweet and salty foods eventually becomes the cause of pain and unhappiness.
Sweetness is hidden in the form of glucose in the rice we eat every day. If you do not eat the rice you eat throughout your life in quantity and quality, you can lose your health due to the counterattack of sweetness. If you overeat, most of the extra rice is stored as body fat. As a result, obesity and visceral fat, which are the root of all diseases, increase, and lead to metabolic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease. The quality of rice is also important. The starch in white rice made from white rice is broken down immediately after eating, causing a sudden increase in blood sugar (blood sugar spike), which causes diabetes. The rice we eat for survival actually ends up prolonging our lives. It is good for our bodies to eat rice made from mixed grains, beans, and red beans.
Sweet drinks and side dishes are also a problem. Sweetness comes from sugars such as fructose. Sugars not only promote blood sugar spikes and cause obesity, but also cause inflammation in our bodies. In the end, they can become the root of all diseases. If you want to live a healthy life, you need the wisdom and determination to stay away from sweets.
It is said that food tastes good when it is seasoned well. Most food is seasoned with salt. Soy sauce, fish sauce, and doenjang are also used, but the saltiness of soy sauce is also caused by salt. Salt is a substance composed of chlorine and sodium, but the problem is sodium. Sodium is an essential mineral that we must consume for human survival, such as regulating the osmotic pressure of our bodies, but excessive consumption can cause fatal problems to the human body.
Excessive sodium consumption can cause heart disease such as high blood pressure, stroke, and myocardial infarction. It can also cause kidney disease, stomach cancer, osteoporosis, asthma, and obesity. In particular, excessive sodium intake is involved in the three major causes of death among our people: stomach cancer, cerebrovascular disease, and heart disease. Salty taste is a real counterattack on our bodies.
Sweet and salty foods are delicious, so when you eat them, you feel a bliss point, a moment of happiness. However, the counterattack of sweet and salty food is fatal. In the near future, you will reach a misery point, a moment of pain that you feel with your whole body. Let’s think again about the principle of too much as bad as too little in terms of food. We must remember that too much can be worse than not enough.