8 Things to Try When MS Affects Your Ability to Taste and Smell
If multiple sclerosis has diminished your sense of taste or smell, making minor adjustments to your food choices and preparation can help.
If you have multiple sclerosis (MS) and have been noticing that food doesn’t taste quite right, you’re not alone. Various studies have shown that many people with MS experience changes in how food tastes and smells.
Does MS Change Your Taste Buds?
A study published in April 2016 in the Journal of Neurology, for example, found that people with MS may have a decreased ability to sense all four basic areas of taste: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.
In fact, 25 percent of people who have MS experience diminished taste, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Another small study, published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders in March 2018, found that sense of smell may also be affected, especially in the early stages of MS.
The loss of taste and smell can have a significant impact on appetite and can lead to unintentional weight loss and malnutrition.
But even if you’re able to eat enough, not being able to enjoy the taste of food can negatively affect your quality of life. How can you make meals more appealing when so many things taste “funny” or bland? Here are a few tips to try if MS affects your sense of taste.
1. Get It Checked Out
Multiple sclerosis isn’t the only cause of taste and smell disorders. Some other potential causes include sinus infections and other respiratory tract infections, dry mouth, heavy smoking, and the use of certain medications, as well as COVID-19.
Some of these are reversible, so before you assume that MS is the cause of impaired or decreased taste, get your symptoms checked out by your doctor.
2. Keep a Food Journal
Keeping a record of the foods you eat and how they taste can help you figure out which flavors or flavor combinations you like and which you do not.
When keeping a food journal, be as specific as possible. Write down all the ingredients in your dishes, paying special attention to the seasonings as well as how heavily seasoned a dish was.
3. Pump Up the Flavor
If you find that foods you once liked now taste bland, try seasoning them more strongly with herbs, spices,and flavorings such as vinegar or hot sauce. If you’re cooking for a family, however, keep in mind that their tastes may not have changed along with yours. Look for ways to add your extra flavorings at the table, so the food isn’t too strong for everyone else.
4. Try New Things
If your favorite dish or seasoning isn’t hitting the spot anymore, try something new. Never had curry before? Maybe now is the perfect time to give it a try. Not a fan of Mexican food? Perhaps the flavors that were too strong before will taste just right now.
Keep trying new foods — particularly those with intense flavors — and record your reactions to them. Eventually you should have a list of options to pick from — and to avoid.
5. Warm It Up
Did you know that warm foods taste stronger than cold foods? That may be because warm foods usually have a stronger aroma, and most researchers agree that smells play a dominant role in the tasting of food, according to a review published in Flavour in November 2015.
It also means that even a small decrease in your ability to smell food can make a big difference in how it tastes to you.
All this is not to say that salads or raw fruit are off the table. But if you have the option of heating something up rather than eating it cold, the heated food will likely be more flavorful.
6. Try Different Textures
In addition to taste, texture is another important aspect of how humans enjoy food. If nothing seems to taste quite right, try foods with a variety of textures — smooth, crispy, crunchy, creamy, etc.
You may find that some textures are more appealing than others, and that can help you decide which foods to include in your meals.
7. Make It Look Good
The appearance of food can make it more or less appetizing, so do your best to make your meals look good on the plate. Prepare foods in a variety of colors, and add garnishes such as fresh chopped herbs to brown or white foods.
8. Keep Nutrition in Mind
Following a healthy diet is necessary for good health, but having a diminished sense of taste and/or smell can make it harder to stick to one. As you experiment with different foods to find those that appeal to you, be sure to include the types of foods that form the basis of a nutritious diet: fruit, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats from fish, nuts, seeds, and oils such as olive, canola, and flaxseed.
If you find that you’re losing or gaining weight because of difficulty eating, talk to your doctor about a referral to a registered dietitian for help with meal planning.