Study Explains Why People Like Coffee vs. Tea

In case you have not noticed, we are great coffee and tea lovers in mbg. We simply can not get enough of the smell of a hot latte, the taste of a cinnamon matcha on a cold afternoon and the beneficial boost of the caffeine that we receive from both. But why is it that we love these drinks so much that we find it difficult to have a day without them? A new study published in the journal Scientific reports, shows that our preference for coffee and tea can actually be explained by our ability to detect bitterness. Interesting…

Researchers at Northwestern University and the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia used a technique called Mendelian Randomization to study data from more than 400,000 male and female participants. The results showed that the more a person is sensitive to the bitter taste of caffeine, the more they consume coffee.

So, what makes you more or less sensitive to bitterness? Apparently, it has everything to do with genetics. And this trend does not just apply to coffee; this is also true for tea and wine to varying degrees. "The findings suggest that our perception of bitter tastes, influenced by our genetics, contributes to the preference for coffee, tea, and alcohol," said Marilyn Cornelis, assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine. from Northwestern University.

Even more interesting, the researchers explain that we have technically should not like the taste of coffee – since our bodies and brains actually interpret bitterness as a warning signal that something could be harmful. That said, people who have the genetic predisposition that allows them to detect bitterness are able to transform their thinking and form positive associations with coffee and tea. If you are surprised by these results, you are certainly not alone. It would be easy to assume that being able to detect the bitterness of these drinks would diminish a person's affinity for it. But it turns out that it's exactly the opposite. the positive reinforcement these people receive from caffeine, coupled with their ability to detect bitterness, is enough to reconfigure their brain into a loving coffee.

This study fits into a broader trend of science aimed at understanding the underlying biological mechanisms of taste … Now, excuse us as we prepare a Pumpkin and Spice Latte.