Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Protein ... and Now Fat
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ral writes "The human tongue can taste more than sweet, sour, salty, bitter and protein. Researchers have added fat to that list. Dr. Russell Keast, an exercise and nutrition sciences professor at Deakin University in Melbourne, told Slashfood, 'This makes logical sense. We have sweet to identify carbohydrate/sugars, and umami to identify protein/amino acids, so we could expect a taste to identify the other macronutrient: fat.' In the Deakin study, which appears in the latest issue of the British Journal of Nutrition, Dr. Keast and his team gave a group of 33 people fatty acids found in common foods, mixed in with nonfat milk to disguise the telltale fat texture. All 33 could detect the fatty acids to at least a small degree."
the Calcium taste buds weren't listed (Score:2, Informative)
Protein? (Score:3, Informative)
It took me a few moments that by "protein" they actually mean the so-called "fifth flavor" often referred to by the Japanese word umami "savory".
Re:There's something else (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Protein? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Savory (Score:2, Informative)
Savory is umami.
Re:Show me the receptors (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Show me the receptors (Score:1, Informative)
Yes, it was just you.
Re:Umami vs. Savory (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Umami vs. Savory (Score:3, Informative)
Savory in British MEANS for the course of a meal that's served after pudding, which doesn't make for a very good etymology.
In fact, along the first point, there's even a herb specifically called "Savory". Also you have a bizarre definition of "technically equivalent" if you are saying "sweet" technically means "aromatic herbs".
Re:but why? (Score:4, Informative)
For some reason even if I initially notice the smell of someone's breath when kissing, it goes away after a second or two. I wouldn't say I have ever tasted another person's tongue, though I have detected hints of chocolate after she apparently only had one malteser in the past 20 minutes or so.
I think you are more likely to taste your own tongue after you try brushing it with some toothpaste to get your tastebuds all confused. I'd say it's likely to just be the taste of your own saliva though rather than your tongue actually having a taste of its own. You could always just try eating it..
Wow this is a strange conversation.
Re:Show me the receptors (Score:1, Informative)
By that same point there is no protein (Umami) then either. Your tongue has only four specialized receptor cells. Salty (which is activated by direct transfer of Na ions across the plasma lemma), Sour (which is based on H ions directly crossing the plasma lemma), Sweet (which is receptor meditated and uses 2nd messenger system inside the cell), and lastly Bitter (which is also based on cell surface receptors).
While Umami has been recognized by Asia for centuries, it is a new addition to Western A&P it is based on detection of glutamate, but does not have specialized receptors. Current belief is it activates a combination of the other four, and that specific combination is "associated" with protein through learning. Which is probably how fats would work (if it's not actually texture based like most believe). Either way though from a strictly A&P perspective neither is an actual taste itself because they don't have their own specific receptors.
Re:The Bastard Broadcasting Company had a doc on i (Score:3, Informative)
The insulative layer surrounding neurons is made of fat. No fat, you get excitation bleeding (not blood, think short circuits). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myelin [wikipedia.org]
Re:The Bastard Broadcasting Company had a doc on i (Score:4, Informative)