I LIKE DARK, ARGUABLY BITTER CHOCOLATE. If you join me in this preference, you are more likely to prefer your coffee black. New research suggests that these taste preferences are in our genes.
Researchers are increasingly reporting health benefits associated with the consumption of moderate amounts of black coffee. Do you drink three to five cups daily? Good for you — we have some evidence that you may be lowering your risk of Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer.
Of course, it is best if you dodge milk, sugar, and fattening flavorings many of us tend to add.
Let’s look at some new research that highlights the importance of genetics in determining our preferences when adding cream and sugar to coffee and regarding chocolate types. By the end, you’ll understand why some call coffee a “cup of Joe.”
Beverage Choices – Coffee consumption is common
More than 150 million Americans join me in my coffee drinking habit. The developed world accounts for nearly 72 percent of the world’s beverage consumption.
In the United States, the average adult’s consumption is roughly two cups daily. There is great variability in content by coffee type and retailer. Here’s a breakdown:
- Brewed coffee (8 ounces; 235 mL) — 133 mg (range 102–200)
- Instant coffee (8 ounces; 235 mL) — 93 mg (range 27–173)
- Coffee, decaffeinated (8 ounces; 235 mL) — 5 mg (range 3–12)
- Espresso (1 ounce; 30 mL) — 40 mg (range 30–90)
- Espresso, decaffeinated (1 ounce; 30 mL) — 4 mg
Males consume more coffee than females on average, at least in the USA. Consumption appears lower among African-Americans than among whites.
Beverage Choices – Tea consumption is on the rise
Tea to the English is really a picnic indoors. — Alice Walker
While tea is not the primary focus today, I wanted to share with you some interesting statistics.
More and more Americans are drinking tea. The Tea Association of the USA offers that 87 percent of consumption is black tea, 12.5 percent green tea, and the small remaining percentage oolong and herbal teas.
More than 80 percent of consumers in the United States drink tea, with millennials the most likely at more than 87 percent. On any given day, more than half of Americans drink tea. The highest consumption is in the Northeast and South regions, respectively.
Consumers prefer tea over coffee in Asia, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Behind water, tea is the second most commonly consumed beverage globally. People take in three times as much tea as coffee.
Trivia question: Did you know that as much as 80 percent of tea consumed in the States is iced? I love that (without additives) it is nearly fat-free and has no sodium, carbonation, or sugar.
Tea contains flavonoids, natural substances that appear to have antioxidant properties. Tea flavonoids can help neutralize free radicals (which we believe can contribute to chronic disease).
Beverage Choices – Black coffee, dark chocolate, and genes
The greatest tragedies were written by the Greeks and Shakespeare … neither knew chocolate. — Sandra Boynton
Please go here to learn about how genes influence our beverage choices:
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