The Four Tastes

Modified: 2020-03-18

Research has demonstrated that there are only four basic taste sensations: salty, sour, bitter, and sweet. Further, each of these sensations is associated with a different area of the tongue.

You can demonstrate some or all of the four basic taste sensations and their locations on the tongue as follows. Take some toothpicks, and dip them in sugar water, lemon juice, salt water. Then touch each toothpick to the various parts of your tongue identified in the diagram. You should find that the sugar water will taste the sweetest on the tip of your tongue, that the lemon juice should taste the sourest on the sides of your tongue, and that the salt water should taste the saltiest just in back of the tip of your tongue. If you can find some Angostura bitters (used to make some mixed alcoholic drinks), you can test the area at the back of your tongue for its ability to detect bitter tastes.

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