What is Sensitivity To Saltiness?

Taste of food is a key factor in food selection. In this sense, sensitivity to taste can influence food preferences and dietary choices, thus contributing to changes in the nutritional status of individuals. Saltiness is a taste produced primarily by the presence of sodium ions. Variation in an individual's ability to taste salt might partially explain the variation observed in sodium intake. This may be due to the genetic variation in salt taste receptors. Other factors also contribute to salt sensitivity, such as age, weight, and illnesses. High sensitivity to saltiness will give an individual a heightened sense of taste toward salt.

How It Affects Your Body

The sensitivity to salty foods correlates with the activation of human salt taste receptors found in the tongue_x0092_s taste buds. Higher sensitivity to saltiness means that more salt taste receptors are activated. These receptors communicate signals to the brain to interpret the taste as salty. High sensitivity to saltiness often leaves an aftertaste in the mouth after eating salty foods. People with lower sensitivity to salt have the tendency of overconsuming salt, which may lead to health risks. Excessive dietary sodium intake, principally as the chloride salts, is one of the main contributing factors to the development of hypertension and cardiovascular mortalities in adults.

Implications of Salt Overconsumption