Taste Fat = Less Fat

Some people are extremely sensitive to touch; others have acute hearing, or possess an extraordinary ability to distinguish colors and detail. Turns out there's another "super power": The ability to detect the presence of fat in food. What's more, having a fat-sensitive tongue translates into having a fat-resistant body.

Australian researchers compared the Body Mass Index (BMI) of 54 healthy men and women, ages 26-30, with their oral sensitivity to fat in their diets. Of these, the 12 who were determined to be hypersensitive to fatty acids consumed an average of 17% fewer total calories throughout the day, and nearly 30% less fat. The super fat-tasters also weighed significantly less than those less able to taste fat.

While it's possible that the fat-sensitive eat less of what they perceive as "overly rich" foods, it's more likely that the over-consumption of fat eventually desensitizes the tongue. We see a similar dynamic with drugs, alcohol and sugar -- over time, the body requires more and more of the addictive substance to deliver the same "high." Eating more fat means tasting it less and ultimately weighing more.

Saturated fat is even harder to burn off than other types of calories, and trans fat makes a beeline for your belly. Excess fat intake also clogs the arteries and even invades heart muscle. A high-fat diet during pregnancy can prompt genetic changes that make it more likely for offspring to grow up overweight. Start weaning yourself off your fat addiction by filling up on fruit and vegetables while substituting healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts and healthy oils.

Taste Fat = Less Fat

Go on facebook!