A new study found that people also like black coffeeeat dark chocolate, is the preferred choice. According to the authors, the reason for this lies in their genes. They found that coffee drinkers with a genetic variant that allows them to metabolize caffeine more quickly prefer bitter coffee drinks. The same genetic variant is found in people who prefer bitter dark chocolate to softer milk chocolate. However, this is not because they love the taste, but rather because they associate the bitter taste with the increase in mental alertness they expect from caffeine.
Dark chocolate and black coffee with protective effects
According to the study authors, the gene variants discovered are related to faster caffeine metabolism and not to taste. Their interpretation is that such people equate the natural bitterness of caffeine with a stimulating effect on their psyche. Accordingly, they learn to associate bitterness with caffeine and the rush they experience, with a learned effect being observed. When people think of caffeine, they associate it with bitter taste, so they enjoy black coffee and dark chocolate. However, the association with dark chocolate may also be due to the fact that it contains a small amount of caffeine, but mainly theobromine. This is a compound related to caffeine that also acts as a psychostimulant. Black coffee and dark chocolate have also been proven to reduce the risk of certain diseases. Moderate coffee consumption and consumption of dark chocolate are also said to help prevent Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and various types of cancer.
The results show that these genetic variants could help further examine the connection between coffee and health benefits. According to the study authors, black coffee has very different health benefits compared to coffee drinks with cream and sugar. Additionally, the new findings offer a more precise way to measure the actual health benefits of the drink and other foods. The benefits of black coffee are based on moderate consumption of two to three cups per day, researchers say. In thecurrent studyThey used genetic and dietary data to determine preference.
