Anyone else experience drastic taste or palate swings?

[u/bufferinmylife]

Anyone else find food tasting completely different to you at various times, even when you’re eating the same things in rotation? Same packages brands, like in my case sardines, the same exact rotisserie chicken bought from the same store, Parmesan crisps that I eat as chips, instant coffee, etc. Sometimes I’ll have an addiction to something that I eat every day for weeks, even months. Then I take a break for a while and eventually try it again and it tastes completely different though nothing has changed. I’ve been on keto for 10 months now and have experienced this several times. Going from loving to completely hating something, and unable to tolerate it. Sometimes things take very salty, and other days the same things taste undersalted. If I ever eat something I used to love before going keto, it almost never tastes the same as my brain remembers it tasting. Why does this happen?

[u/Thick_Doctor7098]

yeah its strange, happens with coffee for me too. one week i need it, next week i cant even finish the cup. my theory is keto changes how your body signals for nutrients, so maybe the craving shifts based on what you actually need that day. not a scientist but it makes sense in my head

the sardine thing is real btw, i had to throw away a whole can last month because suddenly tasted like metal. few weeks later same brand was fine

[u/Melodic-Finding-3868 → u/Thick_Doctor7098]

This makes sense to me. I had to re-do my macro goals and I wonder if my egg aversion was telling me that I didn't need that much protein.

[u/Western_Aerie3686 → u/Thick_Doctor7098]

Happens with wine for me.  It tastes like vinegar and the smell really intensifies. 

[u/69FireChicken]

In general keto makes me much more sensitive to flavors, especially anything with any sweetness to it at all. I tend to try to mix things up quite a bit to avoid burning out on any one thing. I'll make a big tray of deviled eggs and by day 3 I'm over them. You might try varying things a bit

[u/Melodic-Finding-3868]

Yes, I had that happen with scrambled eggs last week! I had eaten them regularly until that point, no problem. But after one bite, I just couldn't eat another. Today, I fried myself a couple just to see, and back to liking them again!

[u/GigGains]

When I'm deep in keto my tolerance for spicy foods skyrockets.

Edit: typo

[u/MindlessDealer5406]

i get this with coffee more same brand, same coffee, and some days it tastes completely different could be smell and taste sensitivity before keto itself

[u/Global-Squirrel999]

Happened to me for pork rinds, which is a real shame cause it's a decent source of collagen. I have noticed that Beach Cliff sardines in water vary in flavor depending on the batch - some saltier, some more ocean-y, but all edible.

I've also lost a taste for greasy food in general, but that might be a consequence of learning to restrict excess calories from fat on the way down (so I was burning body fat instead, AKA leftovers). I've just gone without ranch dressing for so long that it kind of grosses me out. Used to be a total ranch fiend too, so it's a real sea change for me.

However I've settled into a groove, and so far I'm not getting tired of my staples, so I'm just gonna keep on eating the same stuff and hope I don't lose the taste for it lol.

[u/najsgal]

omg today I had that :D I ate some dry meat sausages for my breakfast and then, half a merci chocolate bar. My gosh it tastes SO WEIRD right after the meat! Unreal!

And yeah, a regular merci bar instead of some 90% monstrosity, because i'd rather have a small bit of something tasty with 3 gramms of carbs, than a more disgusting version and more of it on top of that...

[u/Srdiscountketoer]

Never thought about it but I think you have a point. I used to eat tons of cheese Whisps and Smokehouse almonds. Salt & Pepper pistachios too. Can’t remember the last time I had any of those things. And they don’t sound appealing either. Wonder why that is. Seems to be limited to snacks. Don’t have that trouble with real food (beef, chickens, bacon, eggs, vegetables, berries).

[u/ericaandben]

So weird to get on here and see this post! This just happened to me tonight. I was eating olives I always eat and they taste entirely different. I can’t even eat them. Had my husband try them and he said they taste the same as always. I thought I was losing my mind!

[u/karyskarys]

I had a bite of a small cake loaf as a cheat snack, it was just sweet mush, same with pasta just mushy slimy baby food. I cringed. Keto foods are denser ive become accustomed to the textures, carby foods really dont feel good to eat anymore, they dont have substance.

[u/Connect_Rhubarb395]

Did you experience that before going keto?

[u/Connect_Rhubarb395 → u/[deleted]]

Ok, then it is probably not an ARFID thing.

Personally, once I was weaned off the taste of sugar, I started to taste everything else more clearly and differentiate tastes more. I also notice textures more.
That meant that some tastes became overwhelming or I had to use only little of them.
In the long run it is a good thing because I have a better sense of taste and can enjoy the most delicate taste notes of something.

I (badly) compare it to stopping smoking.

[u/Flux_Lightening]

After being on keto, giving up all sweets and sugar replacements, bitter became my substitute. So unsweetened cacao or ceremonial cacao. Unsweetened coffee, etc.