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Serious Eats: Talk

Do you think that you are a 'Supertaster'?

Posted by HeartofGlass, August 5, 2008

Awhile ago on Serious Eats, I know some of the board administrators tested to see if they were 'supertasters.' Supertasting seems to be a genetic sensitivity to certain flavors, like broccoli, coffee, cabbage, and so forth:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster

I've even heard that supertasters prefer lemon meringue pie to chocolate (perish the thought)!

I'm not sure though...as a kid I was very finicky. However, not in a supertaster way--loved the flowers on birthday cake icing, hated bagels because they were hard to chew, loved lemonade, hated most meats (except fried clams and chicken nuggets), hated vegetables but never had them very well prepared...not a supertaster, really, and once culture affects your taste it's hard to tell when you get older what your original, genetic preference was for in terms of food.

I think my parents must be nontasters, based upon their eating habits--my father used to use a half a can of parmesan cheese on his pasta, and my mother used to microwave meat (eww)! I think I'm probably a medium taster, though.

Based on what you know of supertasting, do you think you are a supertaster, or do you know any super/nontasters?

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