| Foods rich in Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), such as green, leafy vegetables and vegetable oils, are known to be an important part of a healthy diet, as Vitamin E has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease through a variety of mechanisms. However, often these foods contain phytonutrients which impart a bitter taste, making them less acceptable to consumers. Sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) may be a marker for the selection of Vitamin E-rich foods. Some studies have demonstrated that PROP non-tasters (NT) showed a higher acceptance of bitter fruits, vegetables and vegetable oils than PROP tasters. The aim of this study was to relate PROP sensitivity to dietary intake and plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol. Healthy, non-vegetarian females, ages 21-44 years, who did not take dietary supplements, were classified as NT (n=30), MT (n=33), and ST (n=30) based on the PROP paper disk method. The subjects provided three, 24-hour diet recalls, collected using NDS-R. Eating attitudes were measured using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. One fasting blood sample was collected from each subject and analyzed for alpha-tocopherol. There were no differences in the consumption of Vitamin E-rich foods or total alpha-tocopherol across taster groups. When the subjects were divided by restrained eating, non-restrained NT had higher intakes of alpha-tocopherol than the other groups (p=0.05). There were no differences among PROP taster groups for plasma alpha-tocopherol status. However, when the subjects were divided by "higher" and "lower" plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, differences were seen in the "higher" group, where NT had significantly higher concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in their plasma than MT or ST (p=0.05). Regressions were performed to determine the factors contributing to "higher" and "lower" plasma concentrations. Among those subjects with "higher" levels, dairy intake, energy intake, and PROP taster status were found to influence plasma concentrations. These data suggest that PROP taster status influences the consumption and plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol. Further research should examine long-term intake of alpha-tocopherol and its relationship to plasma status, and the health implications of this relationship. |
