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A taste for fat? Mar 15, 2010, 11:12 am.

It turns out that humans have a taste receptor for fat–similar to the sensors that detect sweet, sour, salty, and bitter tastes.  According to a new published study, this sensor responds to the presence of fatty acids in foods. I'm guessing that this is what we sense when a food tastes "rich." However, people's sensitivity to this taste varies. A dish may be palatable to one taster but "too rich" for another.  Not surprisingly, people who are more sensitive to fats tend to eat fewer fatty foods and to weigh less. 

Although the study did not address this, researchers wonder whether a high fat diet eventually causes us to lose our "fat sensitivity," leading us to consume more fat and gain weight? It's not hard to imagine this.  People who eat a lot of salty foods develop a higher tolerance for salt; people who use artificial sweeteners (which are hyper-sweet) develop a higher tolerance for sweetness. 

The good news is that  when you start cutting back on salt and sugar in your diet, your sensitivity to these tastes also tends to return. After a period of adjustment, people often find that they need less salt to make foods taste well-seasoned, for example. And perhaps this means that cutting back on fatty foods would restore our sensitivity to them–and re-calibrate our appetite for them?

Here's another interesting tidbit:  Tasters detected linoleic acid (an omega-6 polyunsaturate) at lower levels than they detected oleic acid (a monounsaturate). The highest detection threshold was for lauric (a saturated fat).  Does that suggest that it's easier to overeat saturated fats? 

This research is too preliminary to draw any real conclusions but it's thought-provoking, isn't it? Hopefully, it provokes more research as well.

Summary of research

Study abstract

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Juice and diabetes risk Mar 12, 2010, 2:26 pm.

Here's an interesting follow-up to my recent post How healthy is 100% fruit juice, really?.

A large study, conducted in China finds that people who drink two or more servings of juice a week are 25% more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes compared to those who rarely drink juice.

This is consistent with another large 2008 study, which also found that increased juice consumption led to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes–but that eating more whole fruit decreased diabetes risk.

Those who view fruit juice as a way to improve their (or their kids') nutrition might want to think again.

Eat fruit. Drink water.

More veggies while pregnant reduces allergies in babies Feb 24, 2010, 12:43 pm.

Allergic conditions such as eczema and asthma are fairly common in infants. Many parents search for nutritional solutions, such as eliminating cow's milk, soy, or other common allergens–with mixed results. But the best time for nutritional intervention to reduce allergic sensitivity may be during pregnancy.

A recent study in Japan noted that women who ate the most fruits and vegetables during pregnancy had the least allergy-prone babies, cutting the risk of eczema almost in half compared with women who ate fewer servings. Foods that seemed to have the greatest protective effect were the brightly-colored, carotenoid-rich choices like leafy greens, carrots, red and orange peppers, winter squashes, and so on.

Vinegar and carb digestion: the details Feb 12, 2010, 10:54 am.

Adding vinegar to a meal is known to reduce its glycemic impact, or the speed at which the carbohydrates are converted into blood glucose. But a new study from the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism offers some welcome details.

How much does it take? Adding about two teaspoons of vinegar to a meal containing complex carbohydrates can reduce their glycemic impact by about 20%.   Interestingly, vinegar does not seem to slow the metabolism of simple sugars such as those in fruit, juice, or sweetened foods and beverages.  It appears to affect only complex carbohydrates, which are found in grains, cereal, bread, pasta, and beans.

It’s easy enough to include vinegar in a meal of pasta or beans–just add a salad with vinaigrette or some pickled vegetables. But how do we work vinegar into breakfast?  Honey-Balsamic Oatmeal anyone?

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