LatelyI’ve become interested in the sensory science behind how we experience the tea we drink. One of the sparks that started this journey was reading Three Basic Teas and How to Enjoy Them by Virginia Utermohlen Lovelace MD. It surprised me to learn that part of how we experience tea is determined by genetics.
That started me on a dizzying path of researching whatever I could. Studies specific to tea were a bit hard to find but I was able to find quite a bit of similar research about wine. I was so curious to know what my own sensory genetics might be. As luck would have it, my mother gifted me an Ancestry DNA testing kit for my birthday.
When the results arrived, I wasn’t a bit surprised to learn that I am 98% Irish. Ancestry also included some general information about taste in their list of traits. Downloading my raw data allowed me to see exactly which alleles I have for certain genes.
It is important to keep in mind that there are many things that affect our senses of taste and smell. Genetics is simply one of them. We have the wonderful ability to train and improve our senses. Looking at this kind of information is simply for a bit of nerdy fun. Don’t let it ruin your enjoyment of tea!
Bitter
The Ancestry test focused on three genetic markers that are responsible for the taste receptor TAS2R38. The genotypes for this receptor influence our ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC).
My results:
RS713598 – CC
RS1726866 – AA
RS10246939 – TT
RS2708377 – TT
RS227433 – AC
According to the genetics I am not sensitive to bitterness. I enjoy bitter things that many people do not, such as very dark chocolate, so that does make sense. I am going to try to find some PTC paper tester strips in order to gauge my level of sensitivity.
Sweet and Umami
I was surprised to read that I was sensitive to sweet but not to umami. The TAS1R gene family encodes receptors for both tastes. This one was a bit complicated as there many substances that can cause us to taste sweet. The number of genes involved is dizzying. I tweeted Ancestry to ask which markers they looked at but they have yet to reply. These are my best guess as to which genes that they may have tested for:
My results:
RS3845293 – CC
RS1421085 – TC
RS838133 – AA
OR5A1 – β-ionone
β-ionone is a significant contributor to the floral aroma of roses and violets. It is also found in both tea and wine. Those that are insensitive, like me, might smell nothing at all. In
My results:
RS6591536 – AA
OR2J3 – Leaf Alcohol
Our OR2J3 gene controls the taste receptor for cis-3-
My results:
RS7766902 – TG
Caffeine
This doesn’t have much to do with taste but how our bodies handle the caffeine in tea is also affected by genetics. It can be hard to dial in your tolerance level, especially when you’re first starting so this could be very helpful information to have. I’m right in the middle when it comes to both metabolizing caffeine and how much I am likely to consume.
My results:
Caffeine Metabolite
RS2472297 – CT
RS2470893 – CT
Caffeine Consumption
RS4410790 – CT
RS6495122 – CA
RS382140 – AG
RS17685 – GG
RS2460893 – TC
I hope you found all of this as fascinating as I did. Let me know what your DNA results are in the comments below!
Really interesting post! I haven’t done a DNA test but I’m inclined to now. Like you, I enjoyed the Lovelace book and I learned a great deal from it.
Thanks, David! Another cool thing is that it has connected me with some distant cousins that I hadn’t been in touch with before.
Interesting! I haven’t done any of these tests, but my family and I are sensitive to caffeine – makes sense that it’s genetic. I’m also very sensitive to bitter tastes so it also makes sense that it’s genetic.
Thanks! It’s been so interesting to compare notes with everyone 🙂
Nicole, I haven’t ordered these “extra” DNA results, but I’ve always felt the way I handle the caffeine in tea was affected by genetics. I don’t know about other people in the family, but I know that my mother and her mother shared my ability to drink pots and pots of strong black tea at any time of the day or night with no noticeable caffeine effect. (But I can’t handle even half a cup of regular coffee.)
My mother drinks even more tea than I do so I think there definitely is something to that. Thanks for sharing!