The reason you hate IPAs and bitter foods might be in your genes (2024)

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The reason you hate IPAs and bitter foods might be in your genes? ›

After further research we found that the TAS2R38 gene (Learn.genetics.utah.edu) is the gene that has been identified as the bitterness gene that affects whether we can taste bitter flavors or not. And there are believed to be around three genes that affect hop detection (Huffpost.com).

Your genes greatly influence whether you like hoppy, bitter brews. Maybe you love IPAs, maybe you hate them. Either way, your strong feelings about this beer style have origins beyond your control.

Much in the same way we react in different ways to the flavor of cilantro, our reaction to hoppy beers is based, in part, on our genes. Here's how it works: A major characteristic of IPAs is bitterness, and how humans react to bitterness is rooted in instinct and genetics.

People who inherit two copies of a variant of the gene TAS2R38, called AVI, are not sensitive to bitter tastes from certain chemicals.

People have different levels of sensitivity to bitter tastes, so our like or dislike of bitter foods is at least partially genetic. And based on your DNA, an AncestryDNA ^® + Traits test can estimate how sensitive you are to the bitter tastes associated with certain vegetables.

IPAs are particularly high in hops. Along with the benefits they provide beer, they also serve several functions in herbal medicine, including: Acting as natural source of phytoestrogen—an estrogen compound found in plants—to treat endometriosis and menopause.

Long drinks lists can be overwhelming, but if your liver got to choose, it would probably go with something brimming with hops. Yep, just like the majority of craft beer drinkers, it would probably grab an IPA.

Study says those who enjoy bitter tastes (like IPAs) more likely to be antisocial, sad*stic. A study from the University of Innsbruck states that those who prefer more bitter tastes tend to be likelier to exhibit antisocial personality traits.

“That mix of having a lot of yeast in addition to a lot of carbohydrates and carbonation gives people an upset stomach,” she said. So why are brewers relying on yeast for their hazy IPAs? Until around five years ago, anything hazy was undesirable.

The study found that beers that contain a lot of hops, such as IPAs, might be better for your liver than other types of beer or liquor.

Which vitamin deficiency causes bitter taste? ›

Highlights. The deficiency of vitamin B12 has a clear effect on taste as it causes disruption in epithelial cells, producing tongue pain, redness of the tongue, and the absence of papilla, thereby increasing the taste.

Scientists believe most supertasters have the gene TAS2R38, which increases bitterness perception. The gene makes supertasters sensitive to bitter flavors in all foods and drinks. People with this gene are particularly sensitive to a chemical called 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP).

When it comes to cucumbers, the gene TAS2R38 (taste 2 receptor member 38), located on chromosome 7, is known to be responsible for their repugnance. This gene produces the protein TAS2R38, which functions as a receptor to recognize a wide variety of bitter compounds.

The research findings reviewed in this article suggest that the innate preference for sweets and rejection of bitters in humans are consequences of evolutionary selection, favoring consumption of high-energy, vitamin-rich mother milk and fruits [50] and avoidance of bitter, poisonous plants [85].

“Broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage are usually the worst culprits for those with the super-taster gene,” Smith said. “It's possible dark chocolate, coffee and sometimes beer can turn them away, too.” Of 175 study participants, more than 72% of them were female with an average age of 52 years old.

It traps dirt and prevents things like pollen and insects from entering the ear. It also has antibacterial and antifungal properties thanks to high acidity. That's why it tastes so bad; imagine the bitter aftertaste of lemons, vinegar, and tomatoes without the sweetness to balance them, and you have earwax.

Those who err on the risk-taking side and love new experiences—AKA the "openness to experience" Big Five personality trait—tend to prefer more bitter, pale ale beers and drink them more often than those who stick to a more safe, patterned schedule.

Your genes may play a role in why you keep reaching for that second cup or glass. Coffee and beer are some of our favorite beverages, but a new study found that our preference for them may be based on gene variants related to how they make us feel, not to how we perceive them to taste.

How people perceive and taste alcohol depends on genetic factors, and that influences whether they "like" and consume alcoholic beverages, according to researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

According to a new YouGov survey of craft beer drinkers, 45 percent like hoppy beer — such as India Pale Ales (IPAs) or American Pale Ales (APAs) — compared to 24 percent who say they dislike it.