Can’t resist a salty chip?

The hankering for certain foods is vital for survival, research shows. Taste is the way your brain evaluates what it is eating before it is swallowed, and certain foods trigger a pleasing response because they contain essential nutrients.*

Ecologists think humans have evolved to be drawn to particular foods because they supply elements we can’t live without but aren’t widely available.

This is why an aged steak will delight your umami taste buds – meat is rich in nitrogen, needed to make muscle protein. The accompanying chips have the perfect amount of sodium, making them tastier and more appealing than a handful of table salt!