Do you start your morning off with a cup of hot coffee? Or are you more of tear person? Well, it turns out that your preference depends on your genetics.
Australian researchers at Northwestern Medicine and the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute found different way in which people perceive the bitter tastes of coffee, tea, and alcohol, and how this perception may affect their drink preferences.
The study found that those who are particularly sensitive to bitter tastes are actually more inclined to have a penchant for the caffeinated beverages.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, analysed two large sets of data:
1.) Twin study, which analysed the perception of taste of 1,757 twins and their siblings, all of whom were of European descent.
- This data demonstrated that genetics play an important part in determining how well people are able to perceive different tastes, including the bitterness of caffeine.
2.) Data was taken from the UK Biobank, which provided the researchers with information regarding the number of different drinks that thousands of people across the country consume on a daily basis.
- The conclusion: people who are genetically predisposed to having a stronger perception of the bitter taste of caffeine are more likely to be regular coffee drinkers.
Refer to Scientific Reports to read more on the study.
Is this a conclusion you agree with? Leave your comments.