In a study from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, researchers have found that detecting bitter or sour tasting foods may be linked to fighting off upper respiratory and chronic sinus infections. Everyone has taste buds that detect bitter and sour foods, and detecting these tastes could be linked to primitive man’s need to detect potentially dangerous foods through taste.
Non-Tasters vs Super-Tasters
Humans have several different types of taste buds on their tongue to detect a wide variety of tastes. These include savory, bitter, salty, sour and sweet. However, approximately one-quarter of the population do not detect specific bitter tastes. These people are considered “non-tasters.” In contrast, approximately one-quarter of the population are hyper sensitive to extremely small amounts of flavors, making them “super-tasters.”
Researchers discovered that bitter taste receptors are present on both the tongue and in the upper and lower respiratory tissues in humans. When we eat bitter foods, such as coffee, bitter greens, lemons and other foods, an immune system response occurs. This may be due to primitive responses designed to protect humans from potentially harmful viruses and bacteria.
The researchers also found that the body actually launches a full defense when it detects viruses and bacteria through bitter foods. For super-tasters, even a minute amount of bitter foods can cause a mucus and inflammation response, typical of sinusitis. As a result, chronic sinusitis could result if the person continues to eat bitter foods.
With this new information, scientists are hoping to eventually develop diagnostic and treatment programs that integrate taste responses. It may be that people who are genetically super-tasters are more sensitive to potential infectious agents. However, non-tasters of those who fall in the middle may have less initial protective immune response.
Do you think you are a super-taster, non-taster or somewhere in-between? Do you have strong responses to certain flavors or kinds of foods?
– The Alternative Daily
