Do you prefer coffee or tea? The answer to that question might in part be down to your genes¹, research suggests.

你喜欢咖啡还是茶？根据现在的研究显示，这个问题的答案可能取决于你的基因。

Scientists say a genetic² predisposition to perceiving the bitterness of particular substances appears to nudge us towards one beverage³ or the other.

科学家们说：有一个基因上的差异关系到我们如何感知特定物质苦味，它似乎决定了我们更喜欢哪种饮料。

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.”

这项研究来自美国伊利诺伊州的西北大学，其中的联合作者Marilyn Cornelis博士说：“这项研究让我们对饮料偏好的理解又深了一步，尤其是在口味方面，它同时还解释了为什么会有这样的差异；在所有其他变量控制不变的前提下，我们依然发现饮料偏好和饮用量在人与人之间有明显的差异。”

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 ancestry⁴, particular genetic variants⁵ are linked to the strength of perception of different tastes:

这项发表在《科学报道》期刊上的研究涵盖了两组数据。第一组来自一对大型双生研究，他们显示出一些特定的遗传型关系到我们对不同味道的感知能力，至少对于欧洲裔的人来说是这样的：

one specific variant⁶ 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 prop⁷.

其中一种遗传型让人更容易感知咖啡因的苦味，另一种型让人更容易感知奎宁的苦味，第三种型让人更容易感知一种叫丙基硫氧嘧啶的药物的苦味，这种药物简称prop。

不同的人喝咖啡喝到的味道不一样.jpg

The team found people with a greater genetic predisposition to perceiving the bitterness of caffeine drank a little more coffee, but an increased perception of the bitterness of quinine and prop were linked to a small reduction in coffee drinking.

研究团队发现，那些更容易感受咖啡因苦味的人喝的咖啡要更多一些，而更容易感受奎宁和丙基硫氧嘧啶苦味的人喝的咖啡要少一些。

“While the effect of perception on your daily coffee intake⁸ might be relatively⁹ small – only a 0.15 cup per day increase – from a normal caffeine taster to a strong caffeine taster, it actually makes you 20% more likely to become a heavy drinker – drinking more than four cups per day,” said Jue Sheng Ong, first author of the research.

研究的第一作者Jue Sheng Ong说：“虽然这种感知的差异对你每天咖啡饮用量的影响比较小，重口者只比轻口者多0.15杯，但它却让你有20%更高的几率成为重度饮用者；这里的重度饮用指的是一天喝咖啡超过4杯。”

The team also found that greater perception of the bitterness of prop was linked to a lower chance of being a heavy drinker of alcohol.

研究团队还发现，那些更容易感受丙基硫氧嘧啶苦味的人成为酗酒者的几率更低。