Drinking Coffee Reduce the Tongue's Ability to Feel the Sweet

The effects of caffeine on coffee can increase enthusiasm. But be warned, caffeine can affect the taste buds. Caffeine in coffee can reduce the ability of the tongue to feel the taste of sweet foods and beverages.

When this happens, you will always want more sweetness. Researcher Robin Dando from the Department of Food Science at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, USA reported the findings in the Journal of Food Science.

Of the 107 adults who were divided into two groups. One group drank coffee containing 200 milligrams of caffeine. Meanwhile, the other group drinks decaffeinated coffee fitted with quinine to taste the bitter taste of caffeinated coffee.

Both groups added sugar to coffee drinks. Participants were unaware of the type of coffee they drank.

The team found that people who drank caffeinated coffee thought the drink was less sweet than those who drank decaffeinated coffee.

The taste of food is different

Dando and colleagues note, caffeine in coffee inhibits adenosine receptors in the brain, which increases alertness.

At the same time, caffeine blocks the performance of these receptors, reducing one's ability to taste sweetness.

"When you drink caffeinated coffee, caffeine affects the tasting ability, the effect lasts longer, so if you eat food directly after drinking caffeinated coffee or other caffeinated beverages, you may feel the food differently (the sweet taste in the food feels less) , "said Dando, quoted from Medical News Today, Monday (28/08/2017).

In the second experiment, participants were again randomized to drink caffeinated coffee or decaffeinated coffee. Each participant is asked to rate their vigilance before and after drinking coffee and to estimate the amount of caffeine present in their drink.

The findings, participants can not determine whether they drink caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee. But both groups reported the same increase in vigilance after drinking coffee.