THE ESSENTIAL
- Some people would love dark chocolate and black coffee because they have a genetic variation that speeds up the metabolism of caffeine.
- Black coffee has many benefits. “Drinking black coffee or coffee with cream and sugar is very different for your health.”
–
During the end of year celebrations, the French consume more chocolate. During the festivities, some rush to grab the milk chocolate, others rush for dark chocolate. But how to explain this preference for this food rich in cocoa? According to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports December 13, people would prefer dark chocolate because of their genetics. And these dark chocolate lovers would also have a fondness for black coffee.
To complete their study, researchers at Northwestern Medicine School of Medicine in Chicago, United States, analyzed genetic data from British and American work. They wanted to determine whether the hypotheses that genetic variants linked to taste are more strongly associated with the consumption of black coffee than with the consumption of coffee with milk.
A genetic variant could explain these preferences
Scientists have noted that black coffee consumers have a genetic variant that speeds up the metabolism of caffeine. This same variation is also present in people who like dark chocolate. “It’s interesting because these genetic variants are related to a faster metabolism of caffeine and are not related to taste. These people metabolize caffeine faster, so the stimulant effects also wear off faster. So they need to. drink more “, said Marilyn Cornelis, lead author of the study.
She explained that these people “learn to associate the bitterness of caffeine with a psychostimulant effect. We see a learning effect. When they think of caffeine, they think of a bitter taste, so they like black coffee and, likewise, chocolate noir.”
–
