Eating Psychology with Betty to Debut on Arizona PBS Next Week

If you've always struggled to choke down broccoli and asparagus, we have some good news. It might not be that you hate vegetables because they're green and good for you. It might be that you're a supertaster, or a person who experiences taste more intensely than others. To supertasters, green leafy vegetables taste extremely bitter, making them less likely to want to dig into that plate of brussels sprouts. 

As much as we tend to think of taste as subjective, genetics actually play an important role in how we each experience food. In fact, science has a big impact on how we eat, and a new Arizona PBS series, Eating Psychology with Betty, hopes to offers insight into the psychological factors behind our dietary routines.

Hosted by Arizona State University professor of psychology and Provost Emerita Betty Capaldi Phillips, the show investigates "the biology, genetics, social and learned behaviors behind why people experience foods and eating differently." Topics covered during the first 13-episode season include hunger, the role of fat, environmental cues, and diets. The first episode of the research-based educational show deals with the genetic factors that affect how each person experiences flavors — and how these genetically-based preferences can influence our dining choices. 

The show will air Tuesdays at 11:30 p.m. and will debut on Tuesday, March 22. Encore broadcasts will air on the 8.2 Life channel on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., as well as Sundays at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

For more information and to see descriptions of all 13 episodes, visit the Arizona PBS website.