# Why do you taste only when you exhale? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 3, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-taste-only-when-you-exhale/545374 "2010-07-03T00:38:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-taste-only-when-you-exhale/545374/1 "2010-07-03T00:38:38Z")
Unless I am mistaken, this is indeed the case. Anyone know why? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-taste-only-when-you-exhale/545374/2 "2010-07-03T00:50:42Z")
My inhale has more of a taste than my exhale. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-taste-only-when-you-exhale/545374/3 "2010-07-03T01:07:36Z")
> [@SanDiegoTim](#): > > Unless I am mistaken, this is indeed the case. It doesn’t ring true with my experience… I suppose when I exhale, I may smell my breath, and in so doing, heighten my taste, but it’s certainly not true that I only taste upon exhalation. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-taste-only-when-you-exhale/545374/4 "2010-07-03T01:08:59Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > My inhale has more of a taste than my exhale. Sorry. Same here. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-taste-only-when-you-exhale/545374/5 "2010-07-03T04:39:38Z")
Breathing doesn’t affect my tasting at all. Things taste the same regardless of inspiration or expiration. I’m a bit surprised that it actually does affect others at all. Hm. ---
**Author:** ![NOLA\_Cajun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@NOLA\_Cajun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NOLA_Cajun)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-taste-only-when-you-exhale/545374/6 "2010-07-03T06:25:19Z")
Breathing out increases the number of particles that reach areas that affect “taste”. Try to taste something without smelling it. Then taste it while smelling it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-taste-only-when-you-exhale/545374/7 "2010-07-03T07:52:51Z")
Most of what we perceive as taste is in fact smell (except for sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umame which the tongue senses). In order to taste the aroma of strawberries, it has to pass through the nose - either on the way in if you’re eating them with your face near the bowl, or on the way out - as the smell of strawberries in your breath is exhaled.