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。
Do you prefer coffee or tea? The answer to that question might in part be down to your genes, research suggests.
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。
Scientists say a genetic predisposition to perceiving the bitterness of particular substances appears to nudge us towards one beverage or the other.
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。”
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：
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 ancestry, particular genetic variants are linked to the strength of perception of different tastes:
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。
one specific variant 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 prop.
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。
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。”
“While the effect of perception on your daily coffee intake might be relatively 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。
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.