MATTERS OF TASTE COULD BE LIFE AND DEATH
Differences in a person's sense of taste might have a major impact on
that person's health, say medical researchers at Yale University, New
Haven, Conn. One out of four people are "super-tasters," or are
especially sensitive to bitterness, and might normally avoid cancer-
fighting fruits and vegetables such as brussel sprouts and spinach.
Female super-tasters are less keen on sugar and fat than other women
and are on average the thinnest group. Male super-tasters prefer fatty,
sugary foods. The researchers found that genetic variations give super
-tasters more tiny, mushroom-shaped knobs on their tongues called
"fungiform papillae" than others. Having a lot more of these knobs
puts super-tasters "in a much larger taste world than others," says
researcher Linda Bartoshuk.
This super-trait might originally have
evolved as a defense mechanism, because most bitter-tasting substances
are to some degree toxic. However, super-tasting as a consequence
could also keep a person from eating healthy foods. Bartoshuk says
further research on the human genome will probably yield a simple
blood test for taste sensitivity that could help people pay closer
attention to their diets.
The researchers presented their findings at
the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science in San Francisco.