You’re not to blame for your food taste (your genes are!)

If you don’t like a particular flavor, it might not be your fault, but your genes. A study published in PubMed sought to understand the role of the gene that controls the ingestion of certain types of food, the melanocortin 4 receptor or MC4R, and how this affects our perception.

Experiment 1

For the experiment, the team gave participants three dishes that were the same in every way: look, smell, and taste. The only difference was the fat content, as some had 20% (low), others 40% (medium) or 60% (high).

The researchers found that those who had a mutation in the MC4R gene ate nearly twice as many high-fat meals as the other participants.

Conclusions

Researchers figured this is because people with the genetic mutation have brains that are less sensitive to their own body fat. Complex, right? So let’s rephrase: They think they have less fat than they actually do, so they eat more.

However, the gene not only affects how much a person eats, but also what they eat.

Experiment 2

In the second trial, the same people from the first experiment received desserts, which had the only difference in the amount of sugar: 8% (low), 26% (medium), and 54% (high).

Conclusions

The same individuals with the mutation who ate more fatty foods ate fewer high-calorie desserts. That is, the genetic mutation differs not only in the perception of the taste of fat.

Other situations

With information from PubMed AND ACS publications

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Source: Olhar Digital