Is Calcium the Sixth Taste?

Perhaps. It turns out our tongues may actually be able to detect calcium in foods, according to research presented at the annual National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia in August 2008.

Taste buds have receptors for at least five known specific tastes—salty, sweet, bitter, sour and savory (or umami). Researchers pinpointed two of these taste receptors—sweet and umami—as being involved in tasting a sixth, calcium. What's surprising is that calcium doesn't taste sweet or savory. "It is bitter, sometimes sour," says lead study author Michael Tordoff, Ph.D., a biologist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.

But the usefulness of the findings goes beyond taste. Ultimately researchers are trying to help Americans meet recommended intakes for calcium. "We know from studies that animals with increased needs for calcium find the mineral more palatable," explains Tordoff, "for example, pregnant and lactating mammals and birds laying eggs." But humans tend to dislike the taste of calcium, which is found naturally in dairy products (the fat and protein in these foods bind to the calcium, which is why they're not so bitter) and dark leafy greens, such as broccoli and spinach. So now that researchers have discovered what receptors are involved in tasting calcium, they're looking for ways to block these receptors to make calcium-rich foods more palatable.

Want to get more calcium into your diet right now? Here are four easy tips to get you started:

• Nosh on almonds. One ounce of these nuts contains about 75 mg calcium—8 percent of the recommended daily dose. Not bad for a snack!
• Go fish. Three ounces of sardines—eat the tiny bones!—packs more than 400 mg of calcium. Try topping a whole-grain Wasa cracker with 2 or 3 sardines. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
• Sweeten things up. Don't miss out on an excellent calcium source just because you don't like the taste of plain milk. Add a couple teaspoons of chocolate or strawberry syrup to a cup of nonfat or low-fat milk to create a sweet treat that delivers a third of your recommended daily intake for calcium.
• Cook with dairy. Rather than making your oatmeal with water, use the same amount of nonfat milk. It pays off twofold: you'll get more calcium and a creamier texture.

Plus: Healthy Calcium-Rich Recipes at Delish:

• Creamed spinach
• Strawberry-raspberry sundaes