SALTY FOOD EATERS TERMED SUPERTASTERS

PEOPLE WHO LIKE MORE SALTY FOOD
ARE “SUPERTASTER”, REVEALS STUDY

http://www.telegraph.co.uk - Public health experts and food companies have been working together to combat high salt intake which can increase the risk of high blood pressure and strokes. But despite well publicised effort to get people to swap to low salt foods they simply may not taste as good for some. Now research has shown that those who have sharper tastes need salt to block the bitterness in foods and therefore cannot enjoy low salt products. The study was led by John Hayes, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor of food science at the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences in University Park. Hayes said that it is an accepted fact that everybody does not live in “the same taste world” and that two extreme categories of tasters exist: one is supertasters and the other is non-tasters, rest lay between them.

The researchers tested 87 participants and found that one third of these people were supertasters and the remaining were either non-tasters or “medium” tasters. They found that supertasters, who have a larger number of more intense taste buds, need higher levels of salt to block unpleasant bitter tastes in foods like cheese. “A super-taster finds low-salt cheese unpleasant because the bitterness is too pronounced,” Mr Hayes explained. Explaining further, Hayes added that supertasters are the people who have everything around them bright, vibrant and intense as they live in “neon taste world”, while the non-tasters are “pastel”. Mr Hayes said: Some individuals eat more salt, both because they like the taste of saltiness more, and also because it is needed to block other unpleasant tastes in food. “Supertasters, people who experience tastes more intensely, consume more salt than do non-tasters.”


The study suggests that how sensitive a person is to the bitter taste is genetic and that “supertasters” lived in a shiny world compared to the opaque word of “non tasters”. Unlike modern nutritional theories, Ayurveda enlivens the body's inner intelligence to create harmony, so the proper diet is vital for promoting health and happiness.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Ayurveda identifies six major tastes we need in our diet every day - sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Each of these tastes has specific health-giving effects. By including all six, we will be most completely nourished and satisfied. When we consistently eat only a few of the tastes, it not only causes health problems but also triggers cravings for unhealthy foods. For instance, fast food contains mostly sweet, sour, and salty tastes. ... The six tastes also affect the “doshas”. Different foods cause specific doshas either to increase or decrease. ... The ancient Ayurvedic text Sushrita Samhita states, “He whose doshas are in balance, whose appetite is good ... whose body, mind, and senses remain full of bliss, is called a healthy person.” By following these simple, time-tested Ayurvedic dietary principles in your daily life, you can enhance your health, increase your happiness, and uplift your spirit.

Yoga Journal :
“The Dosha Balancing Diet”
by Miriam Kasin Hospodar
http://www.yogajournal.com/health/646