Bitter Beverage Brief

by

Editorial Policy

Published on

Last updated on

[T]ea or coffee? Your response may be determined before you’re even born. A new study published in the journal Scientific Reports, Understanding the Role of Bitter Taste Perception in Coffee, Tea, and Alcohol Consumption Through Mendelian Randomization,  explains how genetics affect sensitivity to bitterness in certain compounds, and results in a preference for either coffee or tea. Researchers in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom examined DNA from more than 430,000 individuals in the UK Biobank, a national resource of genetic data for medical research. The databank includes information on each person’s health, and self-reported behaviors, including coffee and tea consumption.

Perhaps surprisingly, the study found that people with a genetic sensitivity to bitterness in caffeine were more likely to have an increased coffee intake. Researches also discovered that sensitivity to bitterness in other chemical compounds (propylthiouracil and quinine) resulted in decreased coffee intake. For tea drinkers, the opposite is true. A decreased sensitivity to caffeine and increased sensitivity to propylthiouracil and quinine increases the likelihood that a person will have a higher tea intake.

The research is in almost direct opposition to researchers’ previous theories about bitter sensitivity and preference for beverages. It’s long been assumed that people with a higher sensitivity would avoid bitterness, because bitterness is an indicator of poison or rot. The new research indicates that drinkers may prefer a beverage because of its bitter taste.

Share This Article

Fresh Cup Staff

Join 7,000+ coffee pros and get top stories, deals, and other industry goodies in your inbox each week.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.


Other Articles You May Like

How The Canephora Flavor Wheel Could Redefine How We Taste and Value Robusta Coffee

The first-ever flavor wheel for robusta aims to change how we talk about, taste, and value Coffea canephora.
by Isabelle Mani | June 20, 2025

The C Market Just Got Less Confusing Thanks to Futures.Coffee

The coffee industry hinges on the C Market, which sets benchmarks for coffee prices—but can be difficult for many to understand. A new website called Futures.Coffee hopes to change that.
by Amber Gibson | May 16, 2025

How World Barista Champ Pete Licata Is Transforming Our Understanding of Caffeine

Decaf or regular? For decades, coffee with or without caffeine was a binary question. But today’s coffee professionals—including 2013 World Barista Champ Pete Licata—are looking to provide a wider spectrum of caffeine options.
by Michael Butterworth | May 9, 2025

Why the New Coffee Brewing Control Chart is a Big Deal

The Specialty Coffee Association just announced updates to the Coffee Brewing Control Chart, a document that has defined the perfect cup of coffee for nearly seven decades. What does it mean to bring those…
by Fionn Pooler | December 18, 2024