Most people have a friend or family member who enjoys odd food combinations that no one else likes. But that's not necessarily because they're weird. It might simply be that the taste receptors in their stomach like such things.
Yes, you read that correctly. According to recent research, taste receptors aren't just limited to the taste buds on your tongue. We also have them in our stomachs, brains, lungs, and elsewhere. While the precise reason for this apparent anatomical oddity remains unknown, preliminary findings suggest that the placement of taste receptors might help with matters ranging from digestive health to fertility.
For example, enjoying bitter food can help slow digestion and help with weight management, but taking in too much of it can lead to an adverse reaction. For that reason, the taste receptors in your stomach might act like gatekeepers if too much bitterness gets past your tongue's taste buds.
Researchers have also found that mice need the taste receptors in their testes in order to remain fertile. While surprising, this finding could lead to the development of better fertility treatments for people, as certain medications actually block taste reception and could therefore be hindering fertility.
As one of the researchers pointed out, identifying taste receptors throughout the human body has opened many doors, but it will take time to push through them. "Like much good science, our current findings pose more questions than answers,” Robert Margolskee, of the Monell Chemical Senses center, said.
Hey, (taste) bud, let's eat:
- The average adult has between 2,000 and 4,000 taste buds on their tongue, which regenerate every week.
- One-quarter of people have a heightened sense of taste, especially for bitter foods, while another 25 percent are less sensitive than average.
- People's taste buds change when they are flying or in a noisy environment, becoming less sensitive to sweets and more sensitive to umami.