New Study Suggest Gene That Makes Some People Crave More Salt Than Others
Let me start by admitting; that movie theater butter is not actually butter. That oily, gold liquid seems to make the time spent at the theater all the most meaningful. It turns out the high sodium in that butter and popcorn combination that we learned to love might be because of a newly discovered gene. The belief is that the gene doesn’t intensify the enjoyment for salt, but more so increases the distaste for bitterness.
The new study was introduced at the American Heart Association News at the 2016 Scientific Sessions that took place in New Orleans. The study analyzed data from 407 white males and females who were already at risk for heart disease. The average age of the participants were 51. Other controlled factors that could influence taste was age, weight, smoking and blood pressure medication.
“What we think goes on is that these patients are looking to offset that bitter in their food,” said lead author Jennifer Smith, a University of Kentucky nurse and doctoral student. She conducted the analysis with senior study author and associate professor Gia Mudd-Martin, also at Kentucky.
How Study Could Help African Americans Prevent Heart Disease
The idea that people of different nationalities, having distinct levels of taste has long been joked about. Food is cultural, and spices and minerals will vary from community to community. A gene could add to the list of possible reason that the African American community has a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. 41 percent of blacks suffer from high blood pressure compared to 27 percent of whites, according to an article written by WebMD. Scientist.
Scientists have long looked to genetic factors and environmental factors to determine the disproportion with many increased health risk factors that affect African Americans. The same gene study using African American’s could help answer some question about the high rate of blood pressure and other diseases that African Americans are more likely to have when compared to whites.
The study may help provide dietitians with new eating guidelines that account for specific genes that affect the taste of food for a given number of people.
Experts are researching to see if socioeconomic disadvantage and the long history of racism may play a factor in African American’s higher risk of diseases. African Americans are more likely to.
- Be overweight or Obese
- Suffer from type 2 diabetes
- Have a sensitive effect to salt
- Have Cardiovascular disease
- Higher prevalence of hypertension
How does adding salt to food effect the taste?
Salt improves the sensory properties of food, adding salt to any meal enhances the positive sensory attributes associated with the food. Without salt, food may taste bland to an individual who is used to sodium. Salt was found to improve the perception of product thickness, enhance sweetness, mask metallic or chemical off-notes, and round out overall flavor while improving flavor intensity.
It’s is possible to replace some of the salt in foods with natural herbs and spices such as
- Allspice
- Basil
- Bay Leaf
- Caraway
- Cardamom
- Citrus
- Curry
- Dill
- Ginger
- Marjoram
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Sage
- Tarragon