The Bitter Truth: Coffee Lovers’ Love of Caffeine is Wired in their DNA

Mmm, coffee.

D-brief
By Anna Funk
Nov 16, 2018 8:54 PMJul 28, 2020 1:11 AM
coffee or tea
(Credit: Somchai Som/shutterstock)

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Are you a coffee drinker? This banal get-to-know-you question becomes strange when you really think about the anticipated dichotomy of a firm yes or no answer. A few people might dabble in the delicious, charming, soul-warming beverage (you can see where my allegiances lie), but many more seem to either love or hate the bitter stuff.

People on either end of the coffee spectrum might think of the other, are you seriously tasting what I’m tasting? It would make sense if the answer was no, especially given what we now know about the genetic basis of some tastes. We’re no longer surprised, for instance, when some people adore cilantro, while others think it tastes like soap. Even rye bread affinity is likely genetic.

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