Washington: Struggling to cut salt out of your diet? Well, blame your genes then, says a new study.
Scientists suggest that some people are genetically predisposed to have a harder time cutting salt out of their diets.
According to the study, low-sodium foods can taste awful – especially for people who have a genetic predisposition to dislike them.
Researchers found that people who are particularly sensitive to bitter flavors tend to eat more salt and have a harder time eating less of it, because salt masks bitterness.
"Not everyone lives in the same taste world. With all of these efforts to reduce sodium, some people are going to have a much harder time with that," Discovery News quoted John Hayes, a biophysiologist at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, as saying.
About 25 percent of people experience flavors more vibrantly than everyone else, thanks to differences in the tiny bumps that house taste buds on our tongues.
The gastronomic world is more extreme to these people, known as supertasters. Fats taste creamier. Sugar tastes sweeter. Chilies taste spicier. Even green, leafy vegetables taste more bitter.
The researchers expected that supertasters would also taste salt more intensely, and that in turn, they would need less of it to get the same salty satisfaction as someone with a more average palate.
But when Hayes and colleagues asked 87 healthy men and women to keep detailed food diaries for five days, they were surprised to find that supertasters consumed the most sodium throughout the week.
In follow-up taste tests, the researchers found that supertasters were more likely to notice the difference between varying sodium levels in a range of foods including soy sauce, potato chips and chicken broth.
They were also generally more turned off by low-sodium products, like cheese and pretzels.
The study has been reported in the journal Physiology & Behavior.
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.