The journey was taking forever. The traffic, while not overly congested, was heavy enough to slow things down. Mom was irritated by the expression on his face. The speed of his thumb hitting the steering wheel was getting faster and more vigorous. My mind was wandering, thinking about this visit to the dentist. It was probably the first visit I remember. I kept feeling the tooth bothering me with my tongue. I felt painful, but it kept me busy throughout the trip. We finally arrived, and I was beginning to have doubts about accepting the visit. What is going to happen? My mind was working overtime!

Sitting in the cold dentist’s chair, a chill ran down my spine as I saw the dreaded-looking dental instruments neatly arranged on a tray. Suddenly the dentist was sitting next to me wearing gloves and a mask. I wanted to pass out. “Please open your mouth,” he said. I could barely move. Then I felt cold steel probing my teeth. When he located the bad tooth, I felt a sharp, stabbing pain. “Doc, you have to fix this,” I told myself. “It has to come out,” said the dentist. I just nodded and told myself that I must be brave. They gave me an injection that surprisingly wasn’t as painful as I had anticipated. A while later I heard the dentist say, “Done.” My bad tooth was gone. I did not feel anything. What an anticlimax!

We are born with a sweet tooth. It is nature’s way of teaching us to seek sweetness, since sugars are necessary for the body as a source of energy. What our body looks for are carbohydrates, and sugars are the simplest form of them.

Glucose, also called dextrose, is a simple sugar (monosaccharide) and the most common source of chemical energy used directly by the cells of our body. It is commonly found in fruits and honey and is the third sweetest sugar.

Fructose or levulose is the sweetest simple sugar. High fructose corn syrup is a common ingredient in processed foods that is used to sweeten things up. Our bodies use fructose more slowly than glucose and sucrose, which causes a slower rise in blood sugar level and makes it a better option for diabetics. One word of caution: Fructose must be converted to glucose by the liver before it can be consumed, and excessive consumption can lead to obesity and type II diabetes as well.

Sucrose is the scientific name for table sugar, those wonderful white crystals that we adore and is the most common source of sweetness. It is made up of two simple sugars (disaccharides), glucose and fructose, and has the second sweetest taste after fructose.

Lactose is a compound sugar made up of glucose and galactose and is the sugar found in milk. Most adults (75% of the world’s population) are “lactose intolerant”, which causes most of us to have digestive problems after consuming too many dairy products. As we age, we lack the enzyme, lactase, to digest lactose, which is why it is the cause of our problems.

In addition to being a very pleasant experience, the taste of sweetness helps mask or balance the bitterness and acidity of other ingredients. Sweetness enhances the perception of food aromas and tells us that food is a good source of energy and has always been strongly associated with love or “amour” (as the French call it). What would Valentine’s Day be without the delicious sweet taste of chocolates!

Salt is considered a flavor enhancer from nature. If you were stranded on a desert island and only had one wish, you would probably wish for salt. It works wonders to improve the taste of food and plays an important role in brining, curing and preserving food. When refrigeration was not available, salt was used to preserve meat by drying it and allowing it to be stored for an extended period.

Without salt, a person could die. Salt or sodium chloride is 40% sodium and 60% chlorine, and our bodies use sodium to maintain fluid levels. It is also necessary for the health of the heart, liver and kidneys, regulates blood fluids and prevents low blood pressure. However, too much salt is detrimental to our health. It can lead to kidney disease, hypertension or high blood pressure, and stroke.

Salinity is one of the five basic flavors. Contrary to intuition, salt has a dramatic effect on sweet dishes. Sprinkle some salt over the strawberries for a more flavorful touch. Instead of adding sugar to a sour dish, try adding salt. It is most effective in balancing the bitter taste. A pinch of salt, a wise choice.

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