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The Danish research team found that the bitter taste of coffee increases people's sensitivity to sweetness.

Published: 2026-05-13 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/05/13, Today, a Danish team from Aarhus University found that the bitterness of coffee makes people more sensitive to sweetness, a phenomenon that has nothing to do with caffeine, which explains why many people like to eat dark chocolate while drinking coffee. To test the effects of coffee on smell and taste, the team recruited 156 subjects. Performing a basic sense of taste and smell

Today, a Danish team from Aarhus University found that the bitterness of coffee makes people more sensitive to sweetness, a phenomenon that has nothing to do with caffeine, which explains why many people like to eat dark chocolate while drinking coffee.

To test the effects of coffee on smell and taste, the team recruited 156 subjects. After basic taste and olfactory sensitivity tests, subjects were required to drink a cup of warm espresso, followed by a cup of purified water to clean their mouth, followed by a second smell and taste test.

The results showed that the olfactory sensitivity of the subjects did not change, but the taste sensitivity to sweetness was enhanced.

"after drinking coffee, people were more sensitive to sweetness and less sensitive to bitterness." Said researcher Alexander Wieck Fj æ ldstad.

The result contradicts previous theories that bitterness reduces sensitivity to sweetness, such as caffeine and quinine in coffee, which have been found to reduce sensitivity to certain sweetness.

The researchers also tested decaf coffee and the results were the same, meaning that caffeine had nothing to do with changes in taste sensitivity after drinking coffee.

"people's senses influence each other, but we are surprised to find that sensitivity to sweetness and bitterness affect each other so much. Maybe some bitter substances in coffee are responsible for this phenomenon. " Alexander Wieck Fj æ ldstad said.

This study has not confirmed which substance changes people's sensitivity to sweetness. The researchers say the results are not entirely consistent, and previous studies have shown that certain bitter substances reduce people's sensitivity to sweetness, meaning that reactions between certain substances in coffee may be responsible for this phenomenon.

In addition to proving why people eat dark chocolate while drinking coffee, the study also contributes to the principle of taste perception. In addition, the study provides a good reference for the taste of coffee in the new product.

Perhaps the final findings can help us reduce sugar and calories in food, which is good news for human health, especially for people who are overweight and have diabetes.

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