Longevity Acupuncture Clinic

Two Different Ways to Explain the Different Tastes of Fruits at different Stages
Yubin Lu, Ph.D.

Yesterday, I asked Chatgpt a question, why most fruits taste sour and astringent when they are not matured but sweet when they are matured? The answer is:
“The sour and astringent taste of many fruits before they mature is mainly due to the presence of organic acids and tannins. As the fruit ripens, several biochemical changes occur, leading to a decrease in the levels of these compounds and an increase in sugar content, resulting in a sweeter taste. Here are some key reasons why fruits are sour and astringent before maturation and sweet after maturation:

1. **Acid content**: Many unripe fruits contain high levels of organic acids, such as citric acid, malic acid, and tartaric acid. These acids contribute to the sour taste of the fruit. As the fruit ripens, the concentration of these acids decreases, leading to a reduction in sourness.

2. **Tannins**: Tannins are polyphenolic compounds found in the skin, seeds, and flesh of fruits. They contribute to the astringent taste of unripe fruits by causing a dry and puckering sensation in the mouth. As the fruit matures, the tannin content decreases, resulting in a reduction in astringency.

3. **Starch to sugar conversion**: During fruit ripening, starches present in the fruit are converted into sugars, such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose. This process, known as starch hydrolysis, leads to an increase in sugar content and a corresponding decrease in the sour and astringent taste.

4. **Cell wall breakdown**: Unripe fruits often have firm and crunchy textures due to the presence of intact cell walls. As the fruit ripens, enzymes such as cellulase and pectinase break down the cell wall components, resulting in a softer and juicier texture. This breakdown of cell walls can also contribute to changes in taste and flavor.

5. **Color change**: Many fruits undergo a color change as they ripen, often becoming brighter and more vibrant. This change in color is associated with changes in pigment compounds, such as chlorophyll and carotenoids, which can also affect taste perception.

Overall, the process of fruit ripening involves complex biochemical changes that lead to alterations in taste, texture, and aroma. These changes are generally accompanied by a reduction in sourness and astringency and an increase in sweetness, making the fruit more palatable and appealing to consume.”

This was s a typical Western way or the way of modern science to answer this question. This is the answer we can get by analyzing the change of the difference in the ingredients of the fruits in two different states. Based on this, you can actually create an immatured fruit by adding more ingredients that taste sour and astringent, or an matured fruit by adding more ingredients that taste sweet.
However, the answer from the way of Chinese philosophy can be as follows
The fruits taste bad when they are immatured, because animals such as birds and so on, will not like to eat them because of the bad taste, so the fruits have more chances to grow further to be matured. While after they get matured, they need animals or birds to help the seeds to enter the soil, because mostly animals or birds will discharge the seed after they digest the meat of fruit. So the sweet taste attracts animals to eat the fruits, so then also help the seeds to touch soil. This is a win-win situation for both the plant and the animal. This is why the fruit is sour and astringent when they are immatured but sweet when they are matured.
Obviously, the answer of the Chinese philosophy way is based on the interaction of the fruit and the environment, the fruit is considered a part of the whole nature, or a joint in the ecosystem of nature. The change of the tastes of fruit are determined by the whole system. And the different nature's of different things should be understood based on their relationships with other parts in environment or in nature. While the answer given by Chatgpt, or by modern science, does not taken the relationships of the fruit with nature into consideration. It treats the fruit as an individual that has nothing to do with the whole ecosystem.
This s can be the best answer to the two different ways of understanding the functions of Chinese herbs and western medication. In essence, they can not replace each other, because they are the answers to the same question from two totally different angles of view .

My clinic will be temporarily closed from April 10th to May 2, 2023. I will visit China around this time.
Thank you
Yubin Lu, ph.d., Lac