Your preference for dark chocolate and dark coffee may be in your genes , according to a new study from Northwestern Medicine.
According to research, dark coffee drinkers also prefer bitter dark chocolate and not because of the taste, but because of a genetic variant that has to do with with the way caffeine is metabolized.
Scientists at Northwestern University found that coffee drinkers who have a genetic variant reflecting a faster metabolism of caffeine.
People with this genetic variant associate the bitter taste with the boost in mental alertness they expect from caffeine.
When caffeine is metabolized faster, the stimulating effects also wear off faster. So people need to drink more, explains Marilyn Cornelis, associate professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University School of Medicine.
The study used genetic, dietary and preference data available from the UK Biobank and two US cohorts. The study published in Scientific Reports is entitled “Genetic Determinants of Taste and Intake of Coffee and Other Bitter Foods and Beverages.”
Dark chocolate too contains another stimulant called theobromine , an alkaloid chemical compound, it belongs to the methylxanthine family, just like caffeine, but with a milder effect.
Black and unsweetened coffee, as well as the bitterest dark chocolate are the healthiest coffee and chocolate options, as shared by the Harvard Nutrition Source.
In addition to caffeine, coffee has hundreds of biologically active compounds such as polyphenols. Consuming daily in moderation can provide multiple health benefits and help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including different types of cancer such as prostate cancer.
Dark chocolate contains two to three times more cocoa solids than milk chocolate. Cocoa is rich in plant chemicals called flavonoids that can help protect the heart, among other benefits.
The Harvard School of Public Health recommends choose dark chocolate at 70% or higher cocoa content to obtain the highest amount of flavonoids.
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