# Why does cooked food taste different from raw food? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 3, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601 "2007-06-03T19:18:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/1 "2007-06-03T19:18:17Z")
I wasn’t sure if this was a CS or a GQ… please move it if I got it wrong. A raw egg tastes different from a hard boiled egg. Why? What is it about being cooked that makes it different? I mean… it’s the same stuff…nothing is there that wasn’t there before… ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/2 "2007-06-03T19:29:19Z")
Chemical reactions from the heat. In addition to the sugars caramelizing, proteins undergo processes as well, such as denaturing and the Milliard reaction. Other compounds also undergo changes, but AFAIK the proteins and sugars are the big ones. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/3 "2007-06-03T19:32:12Z")
Some links: > **[Science of Cooking: Food Science, Recipes & Projects | Exploratorium](https://annex.exploratorium.edu/cooking/index.html)** > > Discover how a pinch of curiosity can improve your cooking! Explore recipes, activities, and Webcasts that will enhance your understanding of the science behind food and cooking. [http://www.courier-journal.com/foryourinfo/031703/031703.html](http://www.courier-journal.com/foryourinfo/031703/031703.html) ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/4 "2007-06-03T19:32:36Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] A raw egg tastes different from a hard boiled egg. Why? What is it about being cooked that makes it different? I mean… it’s the same stuff…nothing is there that wasn’t there before… [/QUOTE] Have you ever wondered why you can freeze water but you can’t un-bake a cake? Adding heat to the ingredients causes chemical reactions that transform the food into completely different substances than were there before. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/5 "2007-06-03T20:11:14Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] Chemical reactions from the heat. In addition to the sugars caramelizing, proteins undergo processes as well, such as denaturing and the Milliard reaction. Other compounds also undergo changes, but AFAIK the proteins and sugars are the big ones. [/QUOTE] What is the Milliard reaction? Never heard of it before. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/6 "2007-06-03T21:25:29Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] What is the Milliard reaction? Never heard of it before. [/QUOTE] [Maillard Reaction](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/7 "2007-06-03T21:30:22Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] What is the Milliard reaction? Never heard of it before. [/QUOTE] It’s why seared meat and toast tastes so good. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/8 "2007-06-03T21:59:25Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] What is the Milliard reaction? Never heard of it before. [/QUOTE] You need to be watching Alton Brown. It’s his favorite reaction. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/9 "2007-06-03T22:59:21Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] It’s why seared meat [snip] tastes so good. 🙂 [/QUOTE] speak fer yerself 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/10 "2007-06-04T04:00:25Z")
There are other processes to consider as well–cooking vegetable matter tends to break down cell walls, releasing chemicals that give the veggies a different flavor from their raw state. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/11 "2007-06-04T04:07:12Z")
Balance: interesting, I didn’t know about that. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/12 "2007-06-04T04:15:40Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] speak fer yerself 😉 [/QUOTE] :smack: I totally forgot. Anyhow, the toast still applies. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/13 "2007-06-04T04:16:40Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] :smack: I totally forgot. Anyhow, the toast still applies. [/QUOTE] LOL I was just being a smartass. It’s not like I expect everyone on the board to remember my personal dietary restrictions. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/14 "2007-06-04T06:16:01Z")
[QUOTE=Balance] There are other processes to consider as well–cooking vegetable matter tends to break down cell walls, releasing chemicals that give the veggies a different flavor from their raw state. [/QUOTE] Which is why garlic gets more “garlicy” the more you chop it up. Certain chemicals are in different locations in the clove, and by breaking cell walls, they get together and make new chemicals, some of which make the garlic “hot,” some make that smell, and so forth. So eating a whole clove is less intense than eating a clove that was all chopped up, assuming you get all the juice it was chopped with. In that same vein, high heat breaks down those same chemicals, so roasted garlic is less intense and sweeter. And the cell walls breaking is also why veggies become as limp as a wet noodle when you cook them long enough. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-cooked-food-taste-different-from-raw-food/406601/15 "2007-06-04T08:00:05Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] speak fer yerself 😉 [/QUOTE] Okay, it’s why seared tofu and grilled tempeh taste so good! 😃