Supertaster Test

Maybe you have heard about how a certain percentage of the population are so called supertasters? Supposedly they have a lot more taste buds than the rest of us, and therefore can both appreciate some foods more but also may find other strong tastes unbearable. Anyhow, I remember reading that there was now an over-the-counter test for this trait, but I hadn't gotten around to tracking them down.

Keren to the rescue once again, she brought a bunch of samples from SupertasterTest.com to the blogger brunch. They are just little strips, kind of like pieces of litmus paper. You put 'em in your mouth, chew a little, and notice whether you (1) taste nothing (a non-taster), (2) taste a moderately bitter flavor (normal) or (3) find them unbearably bitter (a super-taster).

Most of us fell in camp (2). Kari Brunson of Anticiplate hit the nail on the head when she described it as tasting like an aspirin on your tongue - unpleasant but eminently bearable. Her husband might have scored a 2.5. He didn't say much but his mug was a picture of displeasure.

I knew that the main event was waiting for me at home though. We've long suspected that Sarina might be a supertaster, because she will sometimes have really intense revulsion at certain smells and foods that seem like no big deal to me at all. And she's pregnant (yep, I just dropped that in casual blog conversation), and as we all know, even normal non-supertaster pregnant women develop very strong senses of smell and taste, likes and dislikes.

I wasn't disappointed! Joel and Sara and Sarina all popped in their strips. Joel and Sara maintained their equanimity, while within seconds Sarina was grabbing the strip out of her mouth, dashing to the kitchen for a glass of water, and making sounds like a cat with hairball. "Why did you give me that horrible thing?!?".

Suspicion confirmed! We'll have to try it again when she's not pregnant, but I expect it will still be positive.

The tests are only $4.95 for 2 strips, so well worth picking up if you are interested. Or slightly cruel.