Supertasters: What It Means and How To Tell if You Are One

A supertaster perceives some or all flavors more intensely than others. They may have more (or stronger) taste buds and tend to be especially sensitive to bitter foods. In some cases, a supertaster can detect flavors that others can’t pick up at all.

Supertasters are born, not made. So, is a heightened sense of taste a superpower? Maybe not, but it is an interesting quirk! Dentist Anne Clemons, DMD, explains what it means to be a supertaster.

Are supertasters real?

Yes, supertasters are real. And there are real physiological differences in how they detect flavors compared to the average person. But deciding who counts as a supertaster depends on what criteria you focus on. With a few exceptions, the ability to detect flavors is a sliding scale, rather than something you can easily split into different categories.

In order to understand supertasters, we need to know what exactly it is that researchers are evaluating. That’s right: We need to talk flavors.

There are a lot of flavors in the world — you only have to stand in an ice cream shop to know this firsthand. But scientists have distilled flavors into broad categories. The five primary categories of taste are:

• Bitter
• Salty
• Savory
• Sour
• Sweet

Some supertasters are extra attuned to all five of these flavors. Others only react strongly to one or two. As a general rule, bitter flavors are most likely to send a supertaster running for the hills.

How to tell if you’re a supertaster

“I’m sure researchers in different studies have drawn a line somewhere in terms of who counts as a supertaster. But in general, it’s hard to say with certainty where that line is,” notes Dr. Clemons. “There isn’t one clear way to classify some people’s sense of taste as ‘average,’ so it’s hard to know when a person crosses the line into being a supertaster.”

With that in mind, here are some common characteristics that researchers have identified in supertasters:

• More taste buds. Some researchers classify supertasters as people who have more of the large groupings of taste buds on the back of their tongue, called fungiform papillae.
• Tasting certain substances. To a certain extent, how we taste is genetic. For example, a well-known test that identifies supertasters uses 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). PROP is an extremely bitter chemical. Due to a gene called TAS2R38, some people taste PROP strongly, while the rest of us don’t taste it at all. Women are more likely to have this gene. If you use PROP to define a supertaster, about 25% of people in the U.S. would fall into this category.
• Aversion to bitter foods. If you can’t stand bitter foods, such as black coffee, dark chocolate, certain citrus fruits, and some vegetables and spices, you could be a supertaster. For people with sensitive taste buds, bitterness is typically the least tolerable of the basic flavors.

You probably have a friend who loves food at a spice level most people would consider torturous. Or you know someone who always orders the bitterest beer on the menu. That doesn’t necessarily make them a supertaster. Flavors are also a matter of preference — and preferences vary quite a bit among cultures and individuals.

Potential downsides of being a supertaster

Being a supertaster may make eating a more explosive experience. But it isn’t all fun. Your super sense of taste could potentially interfere with a healthy eating pattern.

Many vegetables taste bitter, so a supertaster may add cheese or a lot of salt to cover up the taste. Or you may avoid vegetables altogether, which could lead to nutrient deficiencies. Supertasters who drink coffee may use a lot more sugar and creamer than the average person to make the taste more palatable.

If you’re a supertaster, try to notice if you avoid healthy foods that seem too bitter or use potentially unhealthy additives to mask unpleasant flavors. Finding nutritious but less bitter veggie options may help. Carrots, butter lettuce and squashes are a good place to start. If you drink coffee, consider switching out that bitter cup of joe for something that tastes better on its own without needing sugar and creamer.

Dr. Clemons emphasizes that, in general, being a supertaster probably won’t adversely affect your health. Just make sure to eat a variety of healthy foods every day, including veggies that suit your taste.