Food Aversion and Eating Behavior

Conditioned taste aversion, sometimes called the Garcia effect in honor of John Garcia who first described its unusual properties, is a powerful and fascinating form of learning. It is not only an interesting phenomenon in behavioral science, it also matters a great deal in medicine, nutrition, oncology, pediatrics, and everyday life. This long-form post explains what conditioned taste aversion is, how and why it happens, how to recognize it, the problems it can cause, ways to prevent and manage it, how it differs from allergies and other food-related issues, and where to look for more detailed scientific and clinical information. ...