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Coffee influences the perception of taste.
For many people, morning coffee is part of the daily routine. Few people think they can influence their sense of taste. However, a research team from the Danish University of Aarhus has been able to demonstrate that both the perception of sweet and bitter food changes when enjoying coffee.
According to the current study, coffee has a surprising effect on the sense of taste: bitter dishes have a less bitter and sweet taste even sweeter after coffee consumption, report researchers from the Danish University of Aarhus in the journal “Foods” . The study sheds new light on the sense of smell and taste.
Sweet and sour taste
The researchers examined the smell and taste of 156 test subjects before and after drinking coffee. They found no change in their sense of smell, but their sense of taste was significantly affected, according to the researchers. “When people were tested after drinking coffee, they were more sensitive to sweetness and less sensitive to bitterness,” Professor Alexander Wieck Fjældstad said in a Aarhus University news release about the study results.
Can you easily influence the sense of taste?
To rule out that the caffeine in the coffee caused changes in taste, the researchers repeated the experiment with decaffeinated coffee, but the result remained the same. Some of the bitter substances in coffee are probably responsible for the effect, according to Professor Fjældstad. It was a great surprise that the register of sweetness and bitterness can be influenced so easily.
Better understanding of the sense of taste.
The observed effects on the sense of taste could also explain why the taste is so much milder from a piece of dark chocolate to brown, because the bitterness is minimized and the sweetness is increased, explains Professor Fjældstad. The study provides a better understanding of how our taste buds work, although more research is now needed. The knowledge gained could be used to significantly reduce the sugar and calorie content in our foods. (fp)
Author:
Dipl. Geogr. Fabian Peters
Sources:
- Alexander W. Fjaeldstad, Henrique M. Fernandes: Chemosensory sensitivity after coffee consumption is not static: short-term effects on taste and olfactory sensitivity; at: Foods (posted April 14, 2020), mdpi.com
- Aarhus University: Coffee changes our sense of taste (posted April 21, 2020), eurekalert.org
Important note:
This article contains general information only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. It cannot replace a visit to the doctor.
