I have always wondered why foods taste different to everybody. Is it only that people are inflexible when they do not like a particular taste? Like olives or anchovies. My son is very picky with his food choices while my daughter is more flexible, pretty much like me. Observing him has made me think that there may be a physiological difference between the two, because there are tastes that he is genuinely not able to tolerate.
This made me look up the net a little and hit the concept of supertasters. Wiki: A supertaster is a person who experiences the sense of taste with far greater intensity than average. This obviously, leads to picky eaters. And the other end of the spectrum are non-tasters. Non-tasters eat wider range of foods and mind you have higher BMI's. Now this hurts. I like all kinds of foods, enjoy various tastes and cuisines, so you call me a "non-taster". Completely contrary to what I think I am. And these picky, critical, choosy people who have some input or the other to improve every food item they eat, get to call themselves, "SUPERtasters". They are a challenge to every chef.
Research says that, whether you're a non-taster or a supertaster or somewhere in-between depends on your sensitivity to a bitter chemical called 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). Non-tasters can't taste the bitterness of PROP at all. Medium tasters sense the bitterness but do not mind it, while supertasters find the taste of PROP revolting.
Children taste PROP more strongly and therefore taste the bitterness of foods more. I guess when we say that people acquire state for bitter vegetables once they become adults, only means that our taste buds become less sensitive to PROP once we grow up. I pity my children for all those times that I forced them to eat their veggies and the bitter ones too.
Supertasters are not only sensitive to the bitter tastes but also to overly fatty, salty and sugary foods. This helps them make healthier choices in foods, but at the same time sometimes keeps them away from foods high in flavonoids as they can be bitter tasting.
Mothers have trouble raising kids who balk at many foods. They complain and worry about their child receiving the right nutrition. But in the wake of this information we can assume that such Supertasters have a higher chance of being healthier than their counterparts.
This made me look up the net a little and hit the concept of supertasters. Wiki: A supertaster is a person who experiences the sense of taste with far greater intensity than average. This obviously, leads to picky eaters. And the other end of the spectrum are non-tasters. Non-tasters eat wider range of foods and mind you have higher BMI's. Now this hurts. I like all kinds of foods, enjoy various tastes and cuisines, so you call me a "non-taster". Completely contrary to what I think I am. And these picky, critical, choosy people who have some input or the other to improve every food item they eat, get to call themselves, "SUPERtasters". They are a challenge to every chef.
Research says that, whether you're a non-taster or a supertaster or somewhere in-between depends on your sensitivity to a bitter chemical called 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). Non-tasters can't taste the bitterness of PROP at all. Medium tasters sense the bitterness but do not mind it, while supertasters find the taste of PROP revolting.
Children taste PROP more strongly and therefore taste the bitterness of foods more. I guess when we say that people acquire state for bitter vegetables once they become adults, only means that our taste buds become less sensitive to PROP once we grow up. I pity my children for all those times that I forced them to eat their veggies and the bitter ones too.
Supertasters are not only sensitive to the bitter tastes but also to overly fatty, salty and sugary foods. This helps them make healthier choices in foods, but at the same time sometimes keeps them away from foods high in flavonoids as they can be bitter tasting.
Mothers have trouble raising kids who balk at many foods. They complain and worry about their child receiving the right nutrition. But in the wake of this information we can assume that such Supertasters have a higher chance of being healthier than their counterparts.
Very well researched ..well written. Am a superstar :)
ReplyDelete@Shweta- It is Supertaster
ReplyDeleteVery interesting and new information. I don't have to anymore feel guilty about being choosy about food.
ReplyDeleteYeah ..it was a choice mis spell :)
ReplyDelete