The taste buds seem to have a gatekeeper function to avoid uneatable or potentially toxic food and to be aware of dysfunctional sense of taste. However, taste has a wider function than avoiding illness. It is also the precondition for tastiness and pleasure, which is even as important in a health-promoting context. In this review, we present a way, in which tastiness can be systematically described, including a system of seven taste dimensions, all of which are important in the context of prevention and treatment of diseases and in health promotion.