Do Supertasters Have Higher Risk of Obesity?

I think my skepticism comes from my tongue, so when I read an article on supertasters having an increased risk of obesity I felt a quick research trip was in order.

First, let me explain why I believe supertasting has made me a skeptic. Imagine being told all your life something was "not bitter" or "tasted fine" when you knew for a fact that was not the case, yet neither you nor the person who disagreed with you were lying. If you know this sensation first hand my sympathies and congratulations: you may be a supertaster. Early taste experiences led me to doubt the judgments and opinions of others at a young age, but, since I have no basis beyond my own experiences on that matter, I'll leave my supertaster to skeptic theory for another article and return to my original topic.

Not a Veggie Eater, but Not Fat Either

When you read about supertasters you will inevitably come across some variation of the line supertasters dislike the taste of bitter fruits and vegetables. Depending upon the quality of the research, you should also see a line somewhere near it stating supertasters are likely to avoid tobacco and alcohol abuse and one other statement that is a bit tricky.

Supertasters, Fats, and Sugar

The other common statement about supertasters involves fat and sugar intake. Supertasters usually avoid excessively fatty or sugary foods unless they have a history of ear infections which may be linked to an increased preference for the two. If you're wondering what an ear infection could possibly have to do with taste preferences, you're not alone. When I read that on the website of New Scientist Magazine, I stopped, blinked, and raised an eyebrow before continuing. Quoting Linda Bartoshuk, an expert on the sense of taste, New Scientist states:

"This is probably because "the ear infection damages your taste nerve to the point at which you can't taste bitter tastes," says Bartoshuk."So it doesn't matter if you are a supertaster or not.""

Not one to take one source's word on new found information, I ran a search on ear infections and taste damage. Sure enough, the American Psychological Association backed them up and added that it could be the result of the tonsillectomies used to treat recurring ear and upper respiratory infections.

So then, the connection between supertasting and an increased risk of obesity is in the ear of the beholder and possibly only a male ear at that. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science's "Why We Are What We Eat", most women who have become more sensitive to fat through such nerve damage come through the experience liking fat even less.

Supertasters and Cancer Risk

Putting the ear aside, supertasters may be less likely to be obese, but could have another problem. "Why We Are What We Eat" states that; "As a group, supertasters tend to be thinner and healthier, but their veggie aversion may lead to a higher risk of certain cancers". Unfortunately, those cancer reducing phytochemicals in vegetables are a bitter lot and take more getting used to for supertasters.

What does this all mean? Simply that we all have to watch our diets and strive for balance. It's not a new concept, but we need to be aware that some of us will have to balance different aspects of our diets than others and watch for different forms of disease. It's just a matter of taste.

Sources:

The American Psychological Association's article on chronic ear infections and obesity:

http://www.apa.org/releases/earinfectionC08.html

PBS's bio on Linda Bartoshuk:

http://www.pbs.org/safarchive/3_ask/archive/bio/94_bartoshuk_bio.html

New Science's article on cancer and supertasting:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3396.html

Supertasters and alcohol:

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1397913

The American Association for the Advancement of Science's "Why We Are What We Eat: New Links Between our Biology and Food Choices":

http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2003/0214diet.shtml

General information on supertasting:

http://research.yale.edu/ysm/article.jsp?articleID=77

http://ific.org/foodinsight/1999/ja/tastefi499.cfm

The article that sparked my interest:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/962634/extra_taste_buds_linked_to_pleasure.html