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At first glance, saliva seems like pretty boring stuff, merely a convenient way to moisten our food. But the reality is quite different, as scientists are beginning to understand. The fluid interacts with everything that enters the mouth, and even though it is 99% water, it has a profound influence on the flavors – and our enjoyment – of what we eat and drink.
“It is a liquid, but it’s not just a liquid,” says oral biologist Guy Carpenter of King’s College London.
Scientists have long understood some of saliva’s functions: it protects the teeth, makes speech easier, and establishes a welcoming environment for foods to enter the mouth. But researchers are now finding that saliva is also a mediator and a translator, influencing how food moves through the mouth and how it sparks our senses. Emerging evidence suggests that interactions between saliva and food may even help to shape which foods we like to eat.
The substance is not very salty, which allows people to taste the saltiness of a potato chip. It’s not very acidic, which is why a spritz of lemon can be so stimulating. The fluid’s water and salivary proteins lubricate each mouthful of food, and its enzymes such as amylase and lipase kickstart the process of digestion.
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James' World 2 
Feb 09, 2023 @ 11:48:57
Saliva is a go between between the mind and the gut which stimulates one-self as the one-self occupies mind interacting with the gut 💙🙏
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Feb 09, 2023 @ 20:20:33
I didn’t know that. Thanks!
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