What Does it Mean to be a Supertaster?

May 17, 2018
What Does It Mean To Be a Supertaster

What Does It Mean To Be a Supertaster

What Does it Mean to be a Supertaster?

Do you know what it means to be a supertaster? About one-quarter of the population describes themselves as a supertaster. You may have friends that are very picky about what they eat, and claim that flavor profiles are more pungent than they are? Does this ring a Pavlovian bell? So, we ask, what does it mean to be a supertaster?

Being a Supertaster

A supertaster is someone whose taste buds are incredibly sensitive. This sensitivity causes people to believe that foods taste either more bitter or amplified than what other people taste.

To test being a supertaster, a person is given a propylthiouracil. If they can taste it, they are a supertaster. Another way to tell is by counting the fungiform papillae on the tongue. The closer together they are, the more likely a person is to be a supertaster. The more spread out the papillae are means the person is likely an average taster. Blue food dye can be put on the tongue to easily see a difference.

Supertaster’s Most Hated Foods

The following is a list of foods that supertasters tend to dislike:

  1. Cilantro
  2. Tonic water
  3. Tequila
  4. Gin
  5. Grapefruits
  6. Coffee
  7. Kale
  8. Mushrooms
  9. Olives
  10. Horseradish
  11. Seltzer
  12. Soy

What Does This Mean?

Being a supertaster is completely benign. Other than not enjoying some popular foods used in many types of cuisine; nothing happens. You may trick your body into liking these foods by over seasoning them or by covering the taste with hot sauce or citrus.

Final Thoughts

After reading this article, do you think you may or may not be a supertaster? What foods not listed here do you think other supertasters would hate? Have you ever done the blue dye test? What other topics would you like us to cover? Comment below!

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