Why Some of Us Can’t Get Enough of Coffee (or Maybe It’s All in Our Genes)
Scientists just cracked the mystery behind why certain people head straight to their steaming cup of coffee while others opt for a calm, sweet tea.
Nature’s Bitter Preference
In a landmark paper this week in Nature Scientific Reports, researchers discovered that folks who taste bitterness like a champ—thanks to their DNA—tend to pick coffee over tea. Coffee’s higher caffeine content gives it that sharp, tangy bite many of these “bitter‑flavoured” individuals love.
Evolution’s Twist
Our ancestors evolved to detect bitterness as a warning system, warning us not to ingest harmful stuff. “We should ideally spit that Americano straight down the sink,” says Marilyn Cornelis, an assistant professor at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.
Yet, the study shows the opposite: the more sensitive one is to caffeine’s bitter side, the more likely they will grab coffee.
Learning to Love the Bitter
“You’d think sensitivity to bitterness would mean less coffee,” Cornelis explained. “The flip‑side of our findings is that coffee lovers actually learn to associate caffeine with something good.” In other words, your genes set the stage, but the coffee shop’s happy‑vibes routine finally gets the audience to line up again.
More Than Just Coffee
The research, involving over 400,000 UK participants, also found that genetics predispose people to either sip coffee or choose tea:
- Those sensitive to quinine (the sharp taste in tonic water and some greens) and vegetable‑related flavors skip the bitter brew for the sweeter sip of tea.
- Tea lovers seem to have a cooler “bitter‑taste radar,” meaning they can handle other bitter foods—like broccoli—in a friendly manner.
Environment Plays a Role Too
Co‑author Liang‑Dar Hwang of the University of Queensland’s Diamantina Institute points out that our surroundings help us tweak genetic predispositions:
“Bitter taste perception isn’t just about genes; outside factors shape how we react.”
“Even though humans naturally dislike bitterness, we can learn to enjoy bitter foods through exposure.”
Bonus: Coffee as a Green Vegetable Ally
Another upside of being a coffee fan?
Hwang notes that coffee drinkers, being less sensitive to bitterness overall, are more likely to tolerate and even enjoy other bitter foods—think kale, spinach, or a hearty vegetable stir‑fry. Talk about a bonus health perk for the caffeine crowd!
Bottom Line
It turns out that whether you’re sipping black coffee or settling for a gentle green tea boils down to a mix of your DNA, learned taste, and life experiences. The next time you’re craving a latte, remember: you might have a genetic “bitter buff” in your bloodstream, and you’re not alone in the coffee club!
