The headline is broadly defensible, but the qualifications matter. Effect sizes vary by population, the strongest claims rest on shorter trials, and credible voices push back on how it's typically framed.
Sweet to ensure that we get the right amount of energy, umami, to ensure that we get proteins and that essential nutrient, salt, the three appetitive ones to ensure that we maintain our electrolyte balance, bitter to prevent the ingestion of toxic nauseous chemicals, nearly all bitter tasting things out in the wild are bad for you, and sour, most likely to prevent ingestion of spoil acid, fermented foods.
Every Sunday: the week’s new conflicts and verdict changes — and nothing else.
Native comments, Twitter mentions, and Reddit threads about this claim — surfaced together so the conversation isn't fragmented across platforms.
Bookmarking — the dossier-vs-overview split is the right call. Most of the time I want overview; sometimes I want receipts.
Would love a "what would change this verdict" RSS feed. Sign me up if it exists.
This palette of five basic tastes accommodates all the dietary needs of the organism. Sweet to ensure that we get the right amount of energy. Umami to ensure that we get proteins, another essential nutrient. Salt, the three appetitive ones to ensure that we maintain our electrolyte balance. Bitter to prevent the ingestion of toxic nauseous chemicals. Nearly all bitter tasting, you know, things out in the wild are bad for you. And sour most likely to prevent ingestion of spoiled acid, fermented foods.