Do we eat blueberries because we know that they are a great source of antioxidants (antioxidants are substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage) and contain a good amount of Vitamin C (Vitamin C is required for the biosynthesis of collagen, L-carnitine, and certain neurotransmitters; and is also involved in protein metabolism)? I would say we eat blueberries simply because we like them and probably because we do know this fruit since our childhood – which leads us to one major reason for our food choices: personal preference.

But is it really that simple? We often select a food to eat automatically, but actually our choices are more complex than we think and are complex events involving the interactions of a multitude of factors. We use food not only when we are hungry, in some cases we use food to project a desired image, create a relationship and even disclose our feeling with it. We tend to eat sugary food when we feel stressed or lonely, sometimes anxious. The choices we make include several other factors which can be divided in two main categories: Environmental Factors and Personal Preference.

Personal Preference

• Sensory influences (taste, smell, texture)
• Habits
• Comfort/discomfort foods
• Food advertising and promotion
• Eating away from home
• Food and diet trends
• Social factors
• Knowledge of health and nutrition

Environmental Factors

• Economic
• Lifestyle
• Availability
• Cultural influences
• Religion
• Socio-ecological model

Our personal preferences begin early in life and change later as we interact with parents, friends and peers. A memory, a place, a feeling, a move and several other situations often cause us to expand or change our preference. Taste and other sensory factors such as taste, smell and texture are the most important things that influence our personal food choices, followed by cost and convenience. Try to remember your last meal and why you ate it? Was it really the feeling of being hungry? Or were you looking for something to “fix” your feelings? If you can not remember, choose one day this week and write down the following information on a piece of paper: Time, Beverage, Amount, and why you ate. This way you can identify why and what you ate and you are able to think about this choice of food. Was it really healthy? Did I need all of the amount I ate? Am I always eating the same? Maybe this might even help you to think about a way to expand your culinary taste and try new, foreign cuisine. Don’t be afraid of food. Nourish your body.

Today I only scratched at the top of this topic where I tried to give you a good overview without going too deep into details. Also I highly recommend watching the documentary “In Defense of Food” on Amazon Prime or read the book “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan”.

*My information is based on my current “Fitness Nutrition Specialist” course, mixed with my personal opinion and my own history with food.