Coffee: it’s a magical drink that is almost universally adored. Three in every four Americans enjoy a cup of coffee as part of their daily morning routine. Almost half of Americans drink 3-5 cups of coffee every day. It’s so much more than a drink – in recent years, coffee has become a cultural phenomenon. A whopping 87% of Americans consider themselves to be ‘coffee-obsessed’. In 2022, consumers spent $110 billion on coffee. Coffee is the most consumed beverage in America, even more than water. 

 

But if you consider the actual taste of coffee, minus the sweeteners and infusions, its popularity is somewhat confusing. Anyone who’s ever had coffee knows that it tastes quite bitter, a taste that, generations ago, humans evolved to avoid. This was a survival tactic, as bitter foods were, generally, most likely to be poisonous. Today, enjoying bitter foods like brussels sprouts and dark chocolate can still be somewhat controversial, but coffee is perhaps the only bitter sustenance that we are all expected to like. 

 

Although there are numerous additives available to reduce the bitter taste, from the classic splash of milk and sugar to the more inspired pumpkin and olive oil infusions, over a third of coffee enthusiasts drink it black. Sure, it’s possible that some of them really do savor the bitterness of their drink, but in a world where most people unabashedly avoid any sort of bitterness on their dinner plate, it is hard to believe that over 100 million Americans have a secret fondness for bitter tastes. How is it, then, that the same people who turn their noses up at the bitter taste of brussels sprouts can claim to enjoy a cup of coffee for its bitterness? 

 

It is not, as commonly believed, because their sensitivity to bitter tastes has been dulled; in fact, research has found that the opposite is true. Those who are more sensitive to the bitterness of coffee drink it more often, not less. However, this trend is not repeated with other bitter foods, as those who are more sensitive to bitter tastes in other forms (such as quinine) drink less coffee. It is truly a strange phenomenon, that Americans love coffee not in spite of its bitter taste, but often because of it.

 

The reason behind this unusual occurrence is equal parts amusing and intriguing. The secret lies not in our taste buds, but in the psychology of our minds. It turns out, unsurprisingly, we love coffee for the mental alertness that it gives us. Those who regularly drink massive quantities of coffee acquire a greater sensitivity for its bitterness because they learn to associate it with the mental boost it gives them. 

 

If this sounds familiar, that’s because it’s nearly the exact same experiment Pavlov conducted with his dogs. Our love of coffee is a form of classical conditioning. Just as Pavlov trained his dogs to associate the sound of the bell with food, we have trained ourselves to associate the uniquely bitter taste of coffee with mental stimulation. 

 

Next time you enjoy a cup of coffee, consider this: do you crave it for its taste or for the positive reinforcement it elicits?

 

written by Srisha Nannapaneni

 

References:

 

Allen, L. (2023, July 17). Coffee statistics: Consumption, preferences, & spending. Drive Research. https://www.driveresearch.com/market-research-company-blog/coffee-survey/

The economic impact of the coffee industry. (n.d.). National Coffee Association. https://www.ncausa.org/Research-Trends/Economic-Impact

Hoeffner, M. K. (2023, August 9). How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee? Here’s what you need to know. Real Simple. https://www.realsimple.com/how-much-caffeine-is-in-a-cup-of-coffee-7571576

Walton, A. G. (2018, November 15). The funny psychology of why we love the taste of coffee. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2018/11/15/the-strange-psychology-of-why-we-love-the-taste-of-coffee/?sh=3e11566578e2