If our tongue is only sensitive to sweet, sour, salt, and bitter tastes, how are we able to detect so many different flavors?

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/tasty.html

Our perception of taste is not solely determined by the taste buds on our tongue, but also by other factors such as smell, texture, temperature, and spiciness. While our taste buds can only detect the basic tastes of sweet, sour, salt, and bitter, our brain combines these taste sensations with the input it receives from other sensory receptors to create a diverse range of flavors.

When we eat food, odor molecules travel through the back of our throat to the olfactory receptors in our nose. These receptors send signals to the brain, allowing us to experience the aroma of the food. The brain then combines these smells with the taste signals from the taste buds on our tongue, creating a more complex perception of flavor.

Texture also plays a significant role in our perception of flavor. Different textures can contribute to our experience of taste by providing sensations like creaminess, crispness, or crunchiness. For example, the sensation of creaminess in ice cream or the crispiness of potato chips can enhance our perception of flavor.

Temperature also affects our perception of taste. Cold or hot foods and drinks can modify the way we perceive flavors. For instance, cold watermelon tastes more refreshing, and hot coffee tastes more robust. Spiciness is another factor that influences flavor perception. Spicy foods activate pain receptors that send signals to the brain, resulting in a different flavor experience.

In summary, even though our tongue can only detect basic tastes, the brain combines input from taste buds, olfactory receptors, texture, temperature, and spiciness to create the wide range of flavors we experience when we eat or drink.