Some flavors strike you as overpowering, while others find them too bitter or, conversely, very sweet. This difference isn't just about eating habits. It's also explained by how your body perceives tastes. And it's estimated that about one in four people experiences a particularly intense taste sensation.
Why do tastes differ so much?
If broccoli tastes delicious to you while a loved one finds it too bitter, you're not just having a simple culinary debate. You're exploring two different sensory realities. Taste isn't a single, fixed truth: it depends on each individual's sensitivity, their receptors, and also their biological makeup. Thus, when faced with the same food, your brain can receive a completely different message from the person sitting next to you.
The phenomenon of "supertasters"
In the 1990s, researcher Linda Bartoshuk popularized the term "supertaster". According to her work, the population would be divided into three profiles: approximately 25% of people who are very sensitive to tastes, 50% with average sensitivity and 25% with low sensitivity.
Supertasters perceive certain flavors, particularly bitterness, with a much greater intensity than average. Where a coffee might seem pleasant and balanced to some, it can be experienced as extremely strong, even difficult to appreciate, by others. This is neither a flaw nor an absolute advantage, but a natural variation in perception.
Taste buds and genetic inheritance
This heightened sensitivity is partly explained by two factors. First, the density of taste buds: these small structures on the tongue are thought to be more numerous in supertasters, making the sensations more intense.
Next, genetics plays a key role. The TAS2R38 gene influences the perception of certain bitter molecules such as PTC and PROP. Depending on the inherited version of this gene, bitterness can be perceived as mild, moderate, or very pronounced. Research also indicates that women are, on average, slightly more affected by this taste hypersensitivity.
Very personal food preferences
This sensitivity has concrete effects on your daily life. Supertasters often tend to avoid foods considered too bitter: some green vegetables, strong coffee, or even certain citrus fruits may seem too intense to them.
Conversely, less sensitive individuals perceive these same foods in a milder, more neutral way. These differences can sometimes give the impression of opposing food preferences, when in fact they are simply distinct perceptions. In all cases, this is a normal variation in human functioning, comparable to differences in visual or auditory perception.
A science still in motion
Even though the concept of the "supertaster" is widely used, research continues to refine this classification. The number of taste buds alone is not always enough to explain the actual perception of taste, and other factors come into play, such as smell and other taste receptors. Taste thus appears as a complex experience, constructed by several biological mechanisms that are still being explored. Scientists agree on one point: there is not just one way to taste, but a great diversity of perceptions.
In conclusion, your perception of food is unique, shaped by your biology as much as by your experiences. While approximately one in four people experiences flavors with a particular intensity, this reminds us of a simple and positive truth: at the table, everyone discovers the same dish in their own way, and all of these ways are perfectly valid.
