school students (Photo : Reuters)
We already know that people like eating different foods at different times, causing different reactions in them. However, a recent study shows surprising ways that our food preferences help or harm our weight and health.
Three main types of tasters exist. The two extremes are "supertasters" and "nontasters," while other people fall somewhere between those two categories.
According to research, 25 percent of Americans are supertasters, 25 percent are nontasters, and 50 percent are somewhere in the mushy middle.
Supertasters usually have taste buds that are hypersensitive, and are picky about what they eat. For example, they think that spicy foods are too spicy sweet foods are too spicy, and so on.
An interesting fact is that supertasters are very sensitive to the bitter taste of green leafy veggies, such as spinach. They daily eat an average of one fewer serving.
Meanwhile, nontasters perceive textures and flavors less strongly. They perceive green ,leafy vegetables to be sweet instead of bitter. However, they are not very sensitive to creamy or fatty foods.
Although taste affects your weight, your weight also affects your taste. Being overweight could cause you to be less sensitive to flavors.
Researchers say that one cause of this decrease in flavor sensitivity could be a change in the body's level of hormones. A study by Stanford University provided evidence of this phenomenon, according to Yahoo.
The study tested how well obese and normal-weight people could determine the five types of tastes. Results imply that obese people taste foods less strongly, so they eat more food to feel more satisfied.
Dr. John M. Morton conducted the study. He said that if people eat slower and enjoy the flavors more, they will be satisfied through "appreciation" instead of through "volume," according to Time.
