Educational Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. The genetic variants described are common population variants, not disease markers. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health decisions based on genetic information.
Are You a Supertaster?
Have you ever pushed broccoli to the side of your plate while everyone else happily ate theirs? Or found a cup of black coffee unbearably bitter while your coworkers can't get through the morning without it? You might be a supertaster — and your DNA could explain exactly why.
A supertaster is a person who experiences bitter tastes with significantly more intensity than the average person. This isn't about being picky or dramatic. It's a real, measurable biological difference rooted in your genetics. Studies estimate that roughly 25% of people are supertasters, about 50% are medium tasters, and the remaining 25% are non-tasters who barely register bitterness at all. These proportions vary across different ethnic backgrounds, but the pattern holds broadly across human populations.
The key thing to understand: your taste experience is not a personality quirk. It's written into your DNA.
The TAS2R38 Gene — How Bitter Taste Is Written in Your DNA
The gene responsible for bitter taste perception is called TAS2R38 (Taste 2 Receptor Member 38). It encodes a protein receptor on your taste buds that binds to bitter compounds — specifically a group of chemicals called glucosinolates, found in cruciferous vegetables, and synthetic test compounds called PROP and PTC that researchers use in taste studies.
Three specific single-letter changes in your DNA — called SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) — determine how sensitive your TAS2R38 receptor is:
- rs713598 (position A49P)
- rs1726866 (position V262A)
- rs10246939 (position I296V)
These three SNPs combine to form two main haplotypes (inherited patterns):
- PAV — produces a highly sensitive receptor
- AVI — produces a low-sensitivity receptor
Since you inherit one copy of every gene from each parent, you end up with one of three combinations:
| Genotype | Taster Type | What It Means | Estimated Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAV / PAV | Supertaster | Strong bitter sensitivity; broccoli, coffee, kale taste very bitter | ~25% of people |
| PAV / AVI | Medium taster | Moderate sensitivity; can taste bitterness but it's not overwhelming | ~50% of people |
| AVI / AVI | Non-taster | Very low sensitivity; bitter foods barely register | ~25% of people |
The biology behind this goes beyond the gene itself. Supertasters tend to have a higher density of fungiform papillae — the small, mushroom-shaped bumps on your tongue that contain taste buds. More papillae means more taste receptors per square centimeter, which amplifies the signal your brain receives from bitter compounds.
What Foods Taste Different to Supertasters
If you're a PAV/PAV supertaster, certain foods hit differently. Here's what commonly tastes more bitter or intense:
- Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach
- Beverages: black coffee, green tea, tonic water, IPA-style beer
- Dark chocolate and cocoa — the darker, the harder
- Grapefruit and grapefruit juice
- Olives (especially raw or cured with bitterness intact)
- Alcohol in general — ethanol itself has a bitter component
The compounds triggering these reactions in vegetables are primarily glucosinolates and their breakdown products (like sinigrin in Brussels sprouts). In coffee it's chlorogenic acids and some compounds formed during roasting. In beer, it's iso-alpha acids from hops.
For non-tasters with the AVI/AVI genotype, none of these taste particularly bitter. They may genuinely not understand why someone else refuses to eat kale — from their perspective, it just tastes mild and slightly green.
Medium tasters (PAV/AVI) fall in between: they can taste the bitterness but it's not overwhelming, and they often learn to enjoy these foods with the right preparation.
Supertaster, Medium, or Non-Taster — What Each Means for You
Your TAS2R38 genotype shapes real everyday patterns, though it's important not to overstate this. Genetics creates a tendency, not a destiny.
For supertasters (PAV/PAV):
You may naturally eat fewer bitter vegetables — broccoli and kale genuinely don't taste the same to you as they do to someone with AVI/AVI. This is a real challenge worth knowing about. One practical response: cooking methods matter. Roasting cruciferous vegetables at high heat reduces glucosinolate content and bitterness. Pairing with fat (olive oil, cheese, tahini) also dulls bitterness perception. Knowing your genotype can help you work with your taste biology rather than fighting it.
On the flip side, research suggests supertasters may drink less alcohol and coffee because they find them less pleasant. Some studies also associate supertaster status with lower rates of smoking for the same reason — nicotine is bitter.
For non-tasters (AVI/AVI):
You might find yourself adding more salt or condiments to food to boost flavor, since you're missing a major taste dimension others experience. Bitter foods that others avoid often become your favorites (hello, extra-dark espresso). There's no health downside to being a non-taster — it's simply a different sensory profile.
For medium tasters (PAV/AVI):
You're in the majority. You can taste bitterness well enough to have preferences, but it rarely overwhelms you. Most culinary experiences were probably designed with you in mind.
One important note: supertasting is not the same as being a picky eater. A child who refuses vegetables might be a supertaster — but picky eating involves many psychological, social, and textural factors beyond genetics. The two can overlap, but they're not the same thing.
How to Check Your TAS2R38 Result
Here's the good news: if you've already done a consumer DNA test with 23andMe, AncestryDNA, or MyHeritage, your TAS2R38 data is almost certainly already in your file. You don't need to run any new test.
Your raw data file contains the individual SNP results, including the three that determine your TAS2R38 haplotype:
- rs713598 — look for A or G genotype
- rs1726866 — look for C or T genotype
- rs10246939 — look for C or T genotype
The challenge is that interpreting these three SNPs together and mapping them to the PAV/AVI haplotypes requires some genetic knowledge. The raw file shows you letters, not a clear "supertaster / non-taster" answer.
That's exactly where AI-powered tools come in. If you'd like to see your actual TAS2R38 haplotype — and understand what it means for your diet, taste preferences, and more — you can let an AI read your raw data and explain it in plain language.
Upload your DNA → — AskMyDNA's AI will identify your exact TAS2R38 genotype and explain 200+ other traits from your 23andMe or AncestryDNA file. No extra testing required.
If you're new to working with your raw data file, this guide can help you get started: what to do with your 23andMe raw data after the bankruptcy announcement. And if you want to understand how to read raw data files in general, see how to check your MTHFR gene in your raw data file — the same approach applies to TAS2R38 and most other genes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is being a supertaster purely genetic?
Your TAS2R38 genotype is the strongest single genetic factor in bitter taste perception, but taste is complex. Other bitter receptors exist (the TAS2R gene family has about 25 members). Age, smoking history, zinc levels, and even recent illness can affect taste sensitivity. So genetics explains a large part of the picture but not all of it.
Can I change whether I'm a supertaster?
Your TAS2R38 genotype is fixed — it doesn't change. But taste perception can shift over time. Repeated exposure to bitter foods can reduce sensitivity somewhat (a process called habituation). Cooking techniques like roasting, blanching, or adding fat can significantly reduce how bitter a food tastes, regardless of your genotype.
Do supertasters eat less healthily?
Not necessarily, and it's important not to stigmatize supertasters here. Yes, some research finds that supertasters eat fewer cruciferous vegetables on average. But supertasters also tend to consume less alcohol and bitter-tasting junk foods. The health picture is mixed. What matters most is knowing your biology so you can make choices that work for you — like finding vegetable preparations you actually enjoy.
Does 23andMe report your supertaster status?
23andMe has included TAS2R38-related reports in some versions of their product, but coverage varies by report version and country. AncestryDNA raw data also contains the relevant SNPs but doesn't provide an interpreted result by default. Either way, your raw data file contains the information — it just needs to be interpreted. Uploading to a tool like AskMyDNA gives you a clear, plain-language result.
Is the PROP/PTC taste test the same as a DNA test?
The paper PROP/PTC taste test (where you taste a strip of paper coated with a bitter compound) has been used in research for decades to identify supertasters. It correlates well with TAS2R38 genotype but isn't perfect — some people with PAV/PAV don't react strongly, and vice versa. A DNA-based result looks directly at your genotype, which is more precise and also lets you see the underlying biology.
Understanding your supertaster status is one small but surprisingly personal window into how your genetics shape your daily life. The same genome that makes Brussels sprouts taste unbearable to some people also influences dozens of other traits — from how your body responds to certain medications to how you process caffeine.
Upload your 23andMe or AncestryDNA raw data to AskMyDNA → — the AI will tell you your exact TAS2R38 result and 200+ other traits in plain language, no genetics degree required.
Educational content · based on peer-reviewed taste-genetics research