Medical research has found a number of neuro-atypical disorders—including autism and ADHD—manifest in early childhood development with food aversions frequently based on texture, not taste.
There is also an eating disorder called ARFID—avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder that can often relate to food textures or "mouth feel." ARFID is categorized as an eating disorder because the avoidance/restrictions rise to the level of impacting the person's health.
While not everyone who avoids certain foods because of texture has a neurological or eating disorder, doctors are finding "picky eaters" can often indicate other underlying conditions.
Redditor oh-fish-ial asked:
"What’s a food you hate not because of the taste but because of the texture?"
Frozen
" Weird strong aversion to the texture of frozen fruit."
"Like chunks of strawberry in ice cream, for example."
"Like nails on a chalkboard to me."
- AppropriateReason744
Mealy
"Mealy textures like watermelon when it gets overripe."
- Zolo49
"Or a mealy apple."
‐ itsOKeveryoneHatesMe
GiphyReminders
"Cotton Candy. I used to help my dad hang fiber glass insulation… it’s the same texture. Just touching it makes my teeth hurt."
"Also those black and orange candy lumps at Halloween, candy peanuts, marshmallows, and anything else that feels like construction materials made of sugar."
- ornery_epidexipteryx
GiphyUndercooked
"Undercooked potatoes."
‐ DAR44
Gelatinous
"Quite a few people don't like the texture of Jell-O."
- gershanov6
"J-E-L-L-NO!"
‐ IAmABurdenOnSociety
GiphyRunny
"Runny egg whites."
‐ Frenk_preseren
"I feel you so freaking hard man. I can't even order eggs at a restaurant. How would you like that cooked?"
"Cook the egg white 100% I don't care about the yoke runny or hard just make sure the egg white is cooked fully. They can never get it right."
- Dabber42
Stringy
"My mother used to cut up celery and put it into casseroles and stews; stringy and spongy texture just about made me puke."
- Hunk_Studly
Chewy
"Tripe. The near cartilage level of chewiness gives me a sense of physical repulsion."
"Also Japanese fish cake, for the same reason."
- BarbicideJar
GiphyIf food texture turns you off, there might be ways to enjoy those flavors while avoiding the texture.
But if it doesn't make you feel like you're missing out or impacting your health, just eat what you want to eat.
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Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images