Humans Have Sixth Taste for Fat

[HowToBe]

This article has a strong anti-fat slant, but still sort of interesting.

http://www.livescience.com/6204-humans-sixth-taste-fat.html

New research suggests that humans may have a previously unidentified sixth taste sense — for fat.

Researchers of the new study also found that people with a high sensitivity to the taste of fat, paradoxically tended to eat less fatty foods and were less likely to be overweight. [Note: they mean overweight according to Body Mass Index]

"Our findings build on previous research in the United States that used animal models to discover fat taste," Russell Keast, one of the researchers of the new study said.

"We know that the human tongue can detect five tastes — sweet, salt, sour, bitter and umami (a taste for identifying protein rich foods). Through our study we can conclude that humans have a sixth taste — fat."

Given that "overweight" people have lower death rates than those with an "ideal" BMI, a somewhat different picture is painted, perhaps?

 

[SoCurious]

I can agree with there being a taste for fat. I've always found the fatty parts of animals, the skin of fish, chicken skin to be the tastiest part. Even whilst being bombarded with messages to "not eat that!", I've been unable to resist.

As for longevity....well...I've never seen an overweight person older than 100 years.

 

[seek10]

People may have fat sense, but more" sensitive people eats less fat " sounding suspicious. it looks they are deflecting the "fat is bad "propaganda to food sensitivity.

 

[HowToBe]

As for longevity....well...I've never seen an overweight person older than 100 years.

I put "overweight" in quotes because I'm talking about how the term is used by those who use the Body Mass Index. An article on SOTT which I cannot seem to find at the moment said that those who are currently classified as "overweight" according to standard BMI interpretation actually had something like a 6% (or 14% - not sure) lower death rate from all causes. Does someone know the article I'm talking about?

People may have fat sense, but more" sensitive people eats less fat " sounding suspicious. it looks they are deflecting the "fat is bad "propaganda to food sensitivity.

I'm not sure I understand you. The article is talking about sensitivity to the taste of fat (i.e. how strong the flavor is to you), not the type of food sensitivity (immune response/inflammation/allergy) we talk about here.