Sweet vs. Salty Taste Preferences & Genetics

How it works

With each bite-or sip-our taste buds send signals to a brain area called the “primary gustatory cortex” that helps identify taste. Another area, the “orbitofrontal cortex”, helps judge whether you like these tastes. Other brain areas help us decide whether we want to keep munching or we’ve had enough.

The genetic link

23andMe researchers have identified 43 genetic markers (DNA locations) associated with preference for sweet or salty snacks. A few of these markers are in or near genes involved in brain development or function. Some are in genes associated either with metabolism or body mass.

Did you know?

You might have heard that our taste receptors for sweet, salty or bitter are each located in a separate part of our tongue. In fact, the receptors that respond to these tastes are located all over the tongue and in different areas of the mouth.

Explore more

Chocolate bar or potato chips? 23andMe’s Health + Ancestry Service can tell you whether your genetics predict that you’ll prefer sweet snacks or salty snacks.

References

23andMe Blog (2015, March 5). “Salty Or Sweet.” Retrieved September 30, 2018, from https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/salty-or-sweet/.

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Friedman LG et al. (2015). “Cadherin-8 expression, synaptic localization, and molecular control of neuronal form in prefrontal corticostriatal circuits.” J Comp Neurol. 523(1):75-92.

Keskitalo K et al. (2007). “Sweet taste preferences are partly genetically determined: identification of a trait locus on chromosome 16.” Am J Clin Nutr. 86(1):55-63.

Mennella JA et al. (2014). “Preferences for salty and sweet tastes are elevated and related to each other during childhood.” PLoS One. 9(3):e92201.

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Padoa-Schioppa C and Assad JA. (2006). “Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex encode economic value.” Nature. 441(7090):223-6.

Padoa-Schioppa C and Assad JA. (2008). “The representation of economic value in the orbitofrontal cortex is invariant for changes of menu.” Nat Neurosci. 11(1):95-102.

Padoa-Schioppa C and Cai X. (2011). “The orbitofrontal cortex and the computation of subjective value: consolidated concepts and new perspectives.” Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1239:130-7.

Simon SA et al. (2006). “The neural mechanisms of gustation: a distributed processing code.” Nat Rev Neurosci. 7(11):890-901.