In the earliest days of humanity, sweet, savoury, or umami flavours weren't just preferences—they were biological necessities, prompting people to make food choices that would nourish their bodies. In modern times, sugary and savoury dishes exist worldwide, but many people have a clear preference for one or the other.

The answer to where you got your sweet tooth or love of cheese and fermented foods isn't just in your family's meal plan. An AncestryDNA + Traits may also be able to identify it in your genetics.

Food Choices and Sweet vs. Savoury Preferences

Most people like both sweet and savoury tastes. Sweeter foods tend to provide quick energy boosts, while umami flavours derive from glutamate, an essential amino acid that aids in the digestion of protein. Eating sugary foods also releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that reinforces the behaviour. Consuming foods with umami flavours, on the other hand, can bring on a sense of satisfaction and satiety.

However, many people also prefer one flavour profile over the other. This preference shouldn't be mistaken with a sensitivity to a certain flavour—someone may taste sweets strongly but still prefer savoury flavours, or vice versa. Similarly, you might be sensitive to umami flavours, which might lead you to like milder cheeses over stronger ones.

People with a preference for sweeter foods might prefer fruits or veggies such as corn, bell peppers, and roasted carrots. They may also gravitate toward desserts, such as cookies, cakes, or candy.

Those inclined toward savoury flavours may prefer the stronger umami taste commonly found in cured meats, seafood such as anchovies and scallops, or fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso.

The Impact of Genetics on Preferring Umami or Sweet Foods

Whether you prefer umami or sweet foods depends on a variety of factors, including both environmental and genetic influences. In fact, the AncestryDNA team has identified over 200 DNA markers related to your preference by comparing DNA results of over 430,000 people who answered the question, “Which do you like more, sweet or savoury foods?”

AncestryDNA scientists further analysed these results by calculating a polygenic risk score. This statistical tool helps determine the likelihood that someone has a trait based on their DNA. Based on the results, the team determined that 13% of the variation in whether people have a sweet or savoury preference could be explained by differences in their genetics. However, these numbers could change as new discoveries are made about the interactions between different genes.

Additional scientific studies support these findings. Individuals with genetic variants of the TAS1R gene tend to have differing levels of sweet and umami sensitivity. Changes to TAS1R2, for example, can lead to people being less sensitive to sugar, often resulting in them preferring to eat more sweet foods.

Other Reasons for Savoury over Sweet Food Choices (or Vice Versa)

Outside of genetics, food preferences appear to be influenced by a blend of biology, culture, and experience. In fact, food preferences begin forming in the womb. Starting between 13 and 15 weeks into gestation, human fetuses have functional taste buds capable of tasting flavours present in the amniotic fluid. As mothers eat, babies begin developing a palate in utero, starting with a preference for sweet flavours. Very young children also tend to prefer sweets, an innate preference that may be related to a survival instinct because breast milk has a naturally sweet taste.

Hormones can also influence taste perception and preferences. Higher levels of estrogen during the first trimester of pregnancy may drive an increased sensitivity to sweet tastes. Glucocorticoids, such as cortisol, can also reduce the sensitivity to taste receptors, resulting in a craving for sweeter, higher-calorie foods.

However, culture plays a key role in how flavour preferences may evolve—it largely depends on the types of food to which individuals are exposed. Children often reject flavours that they're unfamiliar with, which explains why children in some cultures have no problem eating spicy foods that would leave others begging for a cup of milk to calm the taste buds. But repeated exposure to a variety of flavours encourages children to accept more foods, although they may still develop a preference for sweetness or umami over time.

One survey of adults across 21 nations revealed higher rates of frequent sweets consumption in Western nations. Around 52% of respondents in Great Britain and 51% in Germany reported regularly indulging in sweets. In China, the number dropped to 27%, while in South Korea it was even lower at just 17%.

Fun Facts About Taste Preferences

Did you know that taste buds change over time? Humans don’t have a fixed number of taste buds—they can range from 2,000 to 10,000—but most people have around 10,000. Beyond the normal pace of cell replacement, which occurs every one to two weeks, these tiny sensory organs shrink and decrease in number with age.

This age-related change can impact preferences as certain flavours may be less detectable. A South Korean study that investigated the ability to recognise tastes tested elderly individuals and younger adults. Elderly participants had a lower rate of recognising umami, salty, bitter, and sour tastes, but no difference in the ability to detect sweetness.

Interested in what your genetics have to say about your food preferences? Take an AncestryDNA + Traits test and find out. If you've already taken a test, don't forget to review your results with your Ancestry membership.