Do Our Taste Buds Really Change Every 7 Years?

You Should Know: It’s a common misconception that our taste buds change every seven years, leading to changes in food preferences. They actually change much more frequently — as often as every 10 to 14 days. The “seven years” misconception stems from a 2005 paper wherein a scientist famously estimated that the average age of cells in the human body was seven to 10 years.

Going Deeper: Have you ever burned your tongue and noticed that the pain (thankfully) dissipated after a week or so? That’s because the cells that make up your tongue — including your taste buds — regenerate fairly quickly. This partially explains why many of us dislike certain foods as kids and teens, only to come around to them as adults. But other factors, like age, health, exposure to foods, and presentation of foods, also affect our palates. Even your sense of smell plays a role.

Takeaway: Your palate evolves over time as biology, experience, culture, and exposure all shape what you like — and what you’re willing to try.

Bottom Line: Your taste buds may be replaced every couple of weeks, but that doesn’t mean your food preferences will change overnight.