The reasons why people love certain foods and turn their noses up at others, has to do with more than their cultures or even their taste buds… their genes play a significant role too, a new study conducted by scientists from the University of Edinburgh and Milan’s Human Technopole reveals.
Researchers have identified hundreds of genetic variants – differences in peoples’ genetic make-up – linked with their liking for specific foods, including ones associated with a love of aniseed, avocados, chilies, steak, oily fish and many more.
In the largest genetic study of food liking, researchers studied more than 150,000 individuals’ fondness for 137 different foods and beverages. They found 401 genetic variants that influenced which foods participants liked. Many of these variants affected more than one food-liking trait and some only one particular food. For example, some genetic variants were linked with an enjoyment for only salmon, while other groups of variants increased a liking for oily fish or all fish in general. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communication on August 17.
The team used questionnaires and genetic analysis to develop a so-called ‘food map’ – showing how participants’ appreciation of groups of food and specific flavors are influenced by similar genetic variants.
The map reveals three main clusters of foods that share a similar genetic component. One group is made up of high-calorie and highly palatable foods such as meat, dairy and desserts; another group consists of strong-tasting foods that are known as ‘acquired’, including alcohol and pungent vegetables; and a third group contains low-calorie foods such as fruit and vegetables.
Researchers discovered that the three food groups also shared genes known to be associated with distinct health traits. For example, the highly palatable foods are influenced by the same genetic variants also linked with obesity and lower levels of physical activity. A higher liking for fruit and vegetables is influenced by the same variants that are related to higher levels of physical activity.
However, the team was surprised to find genetic differences between liking subsets of foods within the same category. For example, they expected that genetic variants relating to liking vegetables would be consistent across all types of vegetables, meaning that people who liked one vegetable would like them all.
Instead, they found a weak relationship between the genes associated with cooked and salad vegetables and the genes linked with stronger tasting vegetables such as spinach and asparagus.
