Saliva is necessary for taste buds to detect dissolved chemicals in food, which are then sent as messages to the brain. Spicy is not a taste, but a sensation of pain. Super tasters may be thinner due to sensitivity to rich foods. Historically, there were four tastes, but umami was discovered in 1910.
The tongue is completely unable to taste if it is dry, because saliva plays a key role in moistening and dissolving chemicals in food. The taste bud receptors are activated when they come into contact with these dissolved chemicals. Once the receptors are able to determine the specific taste, they send the information as a message to the brain. In addition to saliva, a sense of smell is typically needed to properly enjoy food, and a stuffy nose has been found to make food seem less flavorful.
More about the taste:
Scientists do not classify “spicy” as a taste. The sensation comes from the brain, which perceives it as pain.
Research has found that women in their 40s who are super tasters, meaning they have extremely sensitive taste buds, are 20 percent thinner than other women their own age. This is thought to be the result of dairy sweets and fats that taste too rich.
Historically, there have been four types of taste: sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. In 1910, a Japanese scientist discovered a type of taste called umami, or salty.
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