We like or dislike vegetables depending on a particular genetic defense mechanism which detects possibly harmful compounds in plants

Sep 26, 2006 10:31 GMT  ·  By

Whether we like vegetables or not lies in our genes, according to a new research conducted by experts at the Monell Chemical Senses Center. The team found that the fact that some people like eating veggies while others hate their taste is dictated by a genetic defense mechanism in our bodies. The task of the genetic defense mechanism tracked down by the Monell researchers is to protect our bodies from potentially harmful or poisonous compounds present in some plants.

Mari Sandell who led the study explained: "Taste has a great impact on food acceptability and choice. A comprehensive understanding how food components contribute to taste is necessary to develop modern tools for both nutritional counseling and food development."

Lead researcher Paul Breslin also added: "The sense of taste enables us to detect bitter toxins within foods, and genetically-based differences in our bitter taste receptors affect how we each perceive foods containing a particular set of toxins."

The whole genetic defense mechanism which makes some children and adults love veggies and some to dislike the natural foods is dictated by variations of a bitter taste receptor known as TAS2R38. This particular bitter taste receptor identifies the glucosinolates compounds in some plants. The glucosinolates compounds are present in vegetables such as: broccoli, kale, bok choy, turnip, kohlrabi, watercress etc. and are suspected to cause potentially harmful physiological actions.

In conclusion, some of us do not enjoy eating vegetables because their bodies "harbor" certain variations of the bitter taste receptor TAS2R38 which fights against potential toxins in plants, such as the glucosinolates compounds. These particular compounds can indeed be harmful for individuals' health, especially for those who suffer from thyroid insufficiency. The glucosinolates detected by our genetic defense mechanism can inhibit the thyroid's uptake of iodine, reducing therefore levels of thyroid hormones.

"The findings show that our taste receptors are capable of detecting toxins in the natural setting of the fruit and vegetable plant matrix. The contents of the veggies are a double-edged sword, depending upon the physiological context of the individual eating them. Most people in industrialized cultures can and should enjoy these foods. In addition to providing essential nutrients and vitamins, many are reported to have anti-cancer properties," concluded Paul Breslin.