Humans detect fat in food

Australian scientists have discovered that humans can discover that the sixth taste is fat, in addition to the five basic tastes of sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami ("sweet meat" or "taste"). bold ") often found in protein-rich foods.

Fairfax news agency said that Deakin University researchers have conducted a series of experiments and found that humans can identify fatty taste thanks to the chemical composition of fat, rather than Its texture.

According to the study, it seems that people who are highly sensitive to fat taste often eat less fat and have lower body fat index (BMI) than normal people.

Dr. Russell Keast, the lead researcher, said that the fat makes the appetite very pleasant, but it seems that the fat has activated something in the oral cavity without depending on its texture.

Dr. Keast and his colleagues have experimented with a group of people to test the ability to detect different fatty acids found in common foods, but mixed with nonfat milk to conceal the Its structure.

As a result, out of 33 people tested, all can detect fatty taste at different levels. People who are too sensitive to fat seem to have a mechanism to "tell" they stop eating this substance, while the opposite happens to people who are not sensitive to fat.

Dr. Keast said that people who are not sensitive to fats often consume it too much and that creates an energy imbalance. This is what increases BMI or overweight, leading to obesity.

Scientists assessing these findings may help find new therapies for effective treatment of obesity.