ReThinking ReThinking: The science of taste and smell with Rachel Herz
Jul 22, 2025
Rachel Herz, a neuroscientist from Brown University, dives into the fascinating worlds of taste and smell. She uncovers the science behind 'super tasters' and how genetics shapes our food preferences. Listeners learn about the emotional weight of smells and how scent influences memories and relationships. The conversation further explores the cultural and biological factors that make each person's sensory experience unique. Herz also touches on the challenges of discussing sensitive topics like body odor, weaving together insights with humor and relatability.
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Supertasters: Heightened Taste Sensitivity
- Supertasters have more taste buds that heighten sensitivity to bitter tastes, making bitter foods intensely unpleasant and sweet foods sweeter.
- This genetic trait affects food preferences and explains why some people dislike common bitter items like coffee or kale.
Adam’s Skittles Gustatory Overwhelm
- Adam Grant shares a story of mistakenly eating many Skittles instead of M&Ms, which overwhelmed his taste and caused him to spit them out in class.
- This experience illustrated how intensely he perceives flavors as a supertaster.
Salt Masks Bitterness for Supertasters
- Super tasters tend to add salt to bitter foods since salt masks bitterness and makes these foods more palatable.
- Using salt can create a positive feedback loop increasing salt preference and consumption for super tasters.
