[Off-topic] Coffee or tea? The answer might be in your genes

[helvella]

I glanced at this article earlier and would probably have ignored it. Until I saw a word which is so very specifically important in the context of thyroid!

It just might be slightly interesting!

Coffee or tea? The answer might be in your genes

Choice of drink linked to how we perceive bitterness of substances, researchers say

Do you prefer coffee or tea? The answer to that question might in part be down to your genes, research suggests.

Scientists say a genetic predisposition to perceiving the bitterness of particular substances appears to nudge us towards one beverage or the other.

Dr Marilyn Cornelis, co-author of the research from Northwestern University in Illinois, said: “The study adds to our understanding of factors determining beverage preferences – taste, in particular – and why, holding all other factors constant, we still see marked between-person differences in beverage preference as well as the amount we consume.”

The study, published in the Scientific Reports journal, involved two sets of data. The first was a large twin study which showed that, at least in those of European ancestry, particular genetic variants are linked to the strength of perception of different tastes: one specific variant was associated with slightly higher ratings of bitterness for caffeine, another to greater bitterness for quinine and a third to greater bitterness for a drug known as propylthiouracil, or prop.

Rest of article here:

theguardian.com/science/201...

[JGBH]

Interesting but I firmly believe that cultural/geographical preferences play a large part in the choice between coffee versus tea drinking... genes cannot be the only factor.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to JGBH]

One factor that definitely affects my choice is quality.

I really enjoy a cup of well-made coffee but hate some other coffees - for example, Starbucks and instant.

Whereas for tea, I am much more tolerant of lower quality - I rarely get a cup that is undrinkable even when it is not very good. (Starbucks is an exception - providing the most disgusting cup of tea I have had in the last ten years.)

[TSH110 in reply to helvella]

Ha ha I actually prefer instant coffee to the real McCoy but am very fussy about which instant coffee. My coffee gene appears to have been suddenly suppressed by the one for tea - I have been mad for sugary instant coffee laced with lashings of full fat milk for several years and possibly half a decade but woke up recently having no interest in sugar whatsoever and craving a mug of builders tea! It was lovely after years of abstinence. I love builders rooibosh earl grey Darjeeling etc but not so keen on lapsopoopong I think you know the one I mean I can’t even remember it’s proper name! Something odd is going on with me and beverage preference be it genetically determined or not!

[foxglove in reply to helvella]

Ever had hospital tea? Bet it beats Starbucks in the "horror" rating. (I have never tried Starbucks by the way)

[nightingale-56 in reply to helvella]

I feel the same as you about coffee helvella and would sooner go without than have Starbucks. Tea, I find can be very variable depending how it is made. Sometimes my husband makes a really good thirst-quenching cup and other times it is much too weak, or stewed. I also feel that it is what is around when you are younger. It was mostly tea during the week, but a good pot of percolated coffee on a Sunday morning.

[JGBH in reply to helvella]

Indeed a good coffee is important! Can't drink instant coffee... As for tea, my favourite iis Earl Grey. I enjoy green tea too and Ginger tea (although it should perhaps be called an infusion rather than tea... Sometimes I make it using fresh ginger stem...

Happy coffee and tea drinking!

[Hidden]

I do not like strong bitter coffee but eat grapefruit with no sugar. I don't think that genes come into it only culture maybe. The Chinese love green tea but I find that bitter too?

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Hidden]

There are people who eat grapefruit with sugar? But it is sweet! Mind you, there was a girl in my primary school who used to put sugar on oranges

[Hidden in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

My adopted father had lots of sugar and salt in his diet and lived to be 92 years old.

This with no high BP or anything he had asthma though so just an inhaler in later life.

It's good that everyone is different.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Hidden]

I haven't like sugar since we had a competition at school to see who could drink the most sugar lumps in their tea, increasing by one a day. I got to about 10 and have never liked sugar since.

[Hidden in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

It sound revolting enough to put anyone off sugar for life.

[MaisieGray]

I doubt it is genetic. My mother only very rarely drank coffee, my father never, and none of my grandparents ever did; yet I have always had the most extreme of reactions to even the thought of tea, and if I caught sight of it, or a sniff of it, would be gagging and even vomiting. At an NLP training course I offered myself to be demonstrated on during one particular demonstration, and as a result my aversion to tea was toned down sufficiently that I can now make it for a visitor - but I'm still holding my breath, looking away from it, wrapping the tea bag in a cling film before putting it in the kitchen bin, and as soon as the visitor is gone, the kitchen bin bag goes into the dustbin .........

[SilverAvocado in reply to MaisieGray]

Interesting story!

[Paula101]

If having an Irish family has anything to do with it, I say it's in my genes. The hours spent chatting and drinking tea are some of the best times I had with my grandmother and aunts.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

And I thought you were going to say after the two weeks, throw it out. 😀

[Hidden]

I know quite a lot about fruit and vegetables. My father was a wholesale greengrocer we imported green bananas from the West Indies and ripened them too. There is not I don't know about fruit but I don't know a lot about anything else including the thyroid but I am learning. Thanks anyway.

[DeeD123]

I was brought up on strong tea. Only drink coffee now with the occasional black tea. Starbucks definitely out. Only like one instant and mostly drink percolated Columbian with the occasional Italian blend. Only time I have ever thrown up after an operation was when they brought me tea 😳says it all lol