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(CNN) -
Would you rather have black coffee?
Then you probably like dark, bitter chocolate, according to new research that identifies a genetic basis for those preferences.
If you can relate to this, then congratulations: You're the lucky genetic winner for a trait that may offer you a boost to good health, according to caffeine researcher Marilyn Cornelis, associate professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. .
"I tell people that my cup of tea is coffee research," Cornelis said.
"It's a very hot topic."
Why hot?
Because studies find that moderate amounts of black coffee - 3-5 cups a day - have been shown to reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as Parkinson's, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and various types of cancer.
But those benefits are likely to be more pronounced if the coffee is free of all the milks, sugars, and other fattening aromas that we tend to add.
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"We know that there is growing evidence to suggest that coffee consumption has a beneficial impact on health. But reading between the lines, anyone advising someone to drink coffee would normally recommend consuming black coffee because of the difference between consuming black coffee. and coffee with milk and sugar, "Cornelis said.
"The former is naturally calorie-free. The latter can add possibly hundreds of calories to your coffee, and the health benefits could be quite different," he added.
A gene for black coffee
In previous research, Cornelis and his team found that a genetic variant may contribute to why some people enjoy numerous cups of coffee a day while others do not.
"People with the gene metabolize caffeine faster, so the stimulant effects wear off faster and they need to drink more coffee," he said.
"This could explain why some people seem to be doing well consuming a lot more coffee compared to other people who might become nervous or very anxious," he added.
In a new study published in Nature Scientific Reports, Cornelis analyzed more precise types of coffee drinkers, separating lovers of black coffee from lovers of cream and sugar (or more).
"We found that coffee drinkers with the genetic variant that reflects faster caffeine metabolism prefer bitter black coffee," Cornelis noted.
"We also found the same genetic variant in people who prefer plain tea over dark and bitter chocolate over milder milk chocolate."
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Bitter foods and the mental drive
But here's a twist.
Cornelis and his team don't think preference has anything to do with the taste of black coffee or tea.
Instead, he said, people with this gene prefer black coffee and tea because they associate the bitter taste with the increased mental alertness they crave for caffeine.
"Our interpretation is that these people equate the natural bitterness of caffeine with a psychostimulating effect," Cornelis said.
"They learn to associate bitterness with caffeine and the urge they feel. We are seeing a learned effect."
The same applies to the preference of dark chocolate over milk chocolate, he added.
"When they think of caffeine, they think of a bitter taste, so they also enjoy dark chocolate," Cornelis said.
"It is possible that these people are very sensitive to the effects of caffeine and also have that behavior learned with other bitter foods."
Dark chocolate contains some caffeine, but much more of a compound called theobromine, a known nervous system stimulant related to caffeine.
But more is not better when it comes to theobromine, according to studies: Higher doses can increase your heart rate and ruin your mood.
Dark chocolate is also packed with calories, so keeping your intake low is good for your waistline.
Still, studies find that even a small bite of dark chocolate a day can contribute to heart health and lower the risk of diabetes.
This is probably because cocoa contains many flavonoids (epicatechin and catechin), antioxidant compounds known to improve blood flow.
Other foods that contain flavonoids include green, oolong, and black teas;
Red wine;
kale;
onions;
berries;
citrus fruits and soy.
Future studies will try to address genetic preference for other bitter foods, Cornelis noted, "which are generally linked to more health benefits."
"It could show that people who are genetically predisposed to consume more coffee are also involved in other potentially healthy behaviors," he said.
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