A
supertaster is a individual who lives in a more intense taste world because they have up to twice as many
taste buds than the average person. Among individuals of European descent, it is estimated that about 25% of the population are supertasters.
The evolutionary advantage to supertasting is unclear. In some environments, heightened taste response, particularly to bitter plant alkaloids, would represent an important advantage. However, other environments, increased response to bitter may have limited the range palatable goods. In our modern energy rich environment, supertasting may be cardioprotective, due to decreased liking and intake of fat, but may increase cancer risk via deceased vegetable intake. It may be a cause of picky eating, but picky eaters are not necessarily supertasters, and vice versa.
The term originates with experimental psychologist Dr. Linda Bartoshuk who has spent much of her career studying genetic variation in taste. In the early 1990s, Bartoshuk and her students noticed some individuals tested in the laboratory seemed to have an elevated taste response and took to calling them supertasters. This increased taste response is not the result of response bias or a scaling artifact, but as mentioned, has an anatomical basis due to increased number of
fungiform papillae.
At a population level, supertasters are less likely to eat certain foods, although supertaster individuals may enjoy and consume these foods:
Green tea
Coffee
Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, and brussel sprouts
Peppers and chili peppers
Some salad greens
Spinach
Strong cheeses
Dark chocolate
Alcohol, especially dry wines and beer
Tonic water
Olives
Soy products
