WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

00:00:00.076 --> 00:00:04.899
(bouncy jazz tune)

00:00:08.029 --> 00:00:09.598
- [Voiceover] Millions of
people around the world

00:00:09.598 --> 00:00:11.942
enjoy a hot cup of Joe every day.

00:00:11.942 --> 00:00:14.799
But why do we all love
this weird, bitter taste?

00:00:14.799 --> 00:00:17.283
In theory, humans should not
enjoy the taste of coffee,

00:00:17.283 --> 00:00:18.978
because we're born with a natural reflex

00:00:18.978 --> 00:00:20.464
to reject bitterness.

00:00:20.464 --> 00:00:22.252
We think this is because
bitterness is generally

00:00:22.252 --> 00:00:23.784
an indication of poison.

00:00:23.784 --> 00:00:26.013
So if coffee reminds us of poison,

00:00:26.013 --> 00:00:27.580
why do we drink it?

00:00:27.580 --> 00:00:29.680
One theory is that people
consume bitter foods

00:00:29.680 --> 00:00:32.177
when it provides some kind
of pharmacological benefit,

00:00:32.177 --> 00:00:33.987
and one benefit, it wakes us up

00:00:33.987 --> 00:00:35.635
with a good dose of caffeine.

00:00:35.635 --> 00:00:37.830
Caffeine is a powerful drug
that not only gives you

00:00:37.830 --> 00:00:40.317
that jolt of energy, but it's
also been linked to improving

00:00:40.317 --> 00:00:42.279
overall cognitive function.

00:00:42.279 --> 00:00:44.461
When the positive feeling we
receive from drinking coffee

00:00:44.461 --> 00:00:46.238
outweighs the rejection of the bitterness,

00:00:46.238 --> 00:00:49.315
our bodies seem to be more
willing to accept the flavor.

00:00:49.315 --> 00:00:50.730
But this isn't true of everyone.

00:00:50.730 --> 00:00:53.285
Research has found that some
people may taste the chemicals

00:00:53.285 --> 00:00:55.967
that produce a bitter flavor
more intensely than others.

00:00:55.967 --> 00:00:58.277
People whose receptors are
less active than others

00:00:58.277 --> 00:01:01.099
may have a better chance of
accepting the taste of coffee.

00:01:01.099 --> 00:01:03.978
So, if you enjoy coffee,
you're working against nature

00:01:03.978 --> 00:01:05.604
telling you, "You shouldn't."

00:01:05.604 --> 00:01:07.124
But that kind of makes you want it more,

00:01:07.124 --> 00:01:08.412
now doesn't it?

00:01:08.412 --> 00:01:13.240
(bouncy jazz music)

00:01:14.863 --> 00:01:15.992
(creaking)