A sweet tooth isn’t the only reason we put a little sugar in coffee or tea. Scientists say sugar has an important effect in reducing bitterness, not just by masking it but by influencing the fundamental chemistry.
The research published in the journal Food and Function reveals new insights into the way in which caffeine, sugar, and water interact at the molecular level to affect the taste of hot beverages.
Caffeine is in part responsible for the bitter taste. The caffeine molecules tend to stick to each other when in water, and this tendency is further enhanced by the addition of sugar. For many decades, scientists have assumed that this was due to the strengthening of bonds between water molecules around the sugar.
