For last week’s practice question, we quizzed participants on the 5 different tongue tastes. 67% of respondents chose the best answer. We want to clarify and share this important information, so you can pass it on to people living with diabetes and your colleagues, plus prepare for exam success!

Before we start though, if you don’t want any spoilers and haven’t tried the question yet, you can answer it below: Answer Question

Question: JR thinks that their ability to taste food has diminished recently. They ask you, what are the five confirmed basic tastes of the tongue?

Which of the following lists describes the best answer?

Answer Choices:

1. Sweet, salty, bitter, pepper, sour.
2. Umami, sweet, sour, salty, ammonia.
3. Bitter, sour, sweet, salty, umami.
4. Sour, sweet, ammonia, salty, bitter

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Getting to the Best Answer

If you are thinking about taking the certification exam, this practice test question will set you up for success. Test writers anticipate possible answers based on the details in the question. They will wave those “juicy answers” right under your nose. Your job is to weed through the particulars, pluck out the most important elements and choose the BEST answer.

Answer 1 is incorrect. 15.92% chose this answer. “Sweet, salty, bitter, pepper, sour.” This answer is really close, however there are no specific receptors on the tongue to detect the flavor pepper.

Answer 2 is incorrect. 5.22% of you chose this answer. “Umami, sweet, sour, salty, ammonia.” This answer is really close, however, ammonia is not a confirmed flavor and this list is missing the flavor, bitter.

Answer 3 is correct. About 67.41% of respondents chose this. “Bitter, sour, sweet, salty, umami.” YES, these are the 5 confirmed tastes and one more taste might be added to list, ammonium chloride. According to an article in Neuroscience News, “The tongue’s response to ammonium chloride, a component in some candies, may indicate a sixth basic taste. The study illuminated that OTOP1, a protein receptor that signals sour taste, also responds notably to ammonium chloride.”

Finally, Answer 4 is incorrect. 11.44% chose this answer. “Sour, sweet, ammonia, salty, bitter” This answer is really close, however, ammonia is not a confirmed flavor and this list is missing the flavor, umami.

We hope you appreciate this week’s rationale! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our Question of the Week and participate in this fun learning activity!

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Want to learn more about the GI System and Diabetes?

Exploring the GI System – From the Gut to the Butt | FREE Webinar

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Coach Bev invites you to join this 60 minute webinar that covers gastrointestinal health from top to bottom. Topics include; fatty liver disease diagnosis and treatment, intestinal complications associated with diabetes, keeping the microbiome healthy, and more. Join us to explore the magnificent wonders of diabetes and the gut.

Getting to the Gut Topics:

• From the Mouth to Intestines: Periodontal disease, Gastroparesis, Fatty liver disease, pancreas disorders
• Intestine as an Endocrine Organ & Bacterial Host
• NASH Treatment Options including lifestyle and pharmacotherapy
• State the relationship between gut health, microbiome and diabetes and inflammation
• Describe 3 strategies to get our microbiome back to better health.

Can’t make it live? No worries. We will send post the recorded version to the Online University within 24 hours of the broadcast

Instructor: Beverly Thomassian RN, MPH, CDCES, has been Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management for over 20 years. She is an Associate Clinical Professor at UCSF, a working educator, and a nationally recognized diabetes expert. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Health from UCLA, with a focus on behavioral health and education.

All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information

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The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the CDCES exam. CBDCE does not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES exam, except for those published by CBDCE.