As the participants’ bitterness ratings decreased, the researchers saw changes in their saliva “reasonably quickly,” Dr. Running said. But those changes did not last; a person would need to continue eating bitter foods to maintain their tolerance, she added. The commonly accepted theory of why humans instinctively dislike bitter foods is evolutionary: Bitterness is often a sign of toxicity, and in some cases, extremely high quantities of otherwise healthy bitter foods, like leafy greens, may be harmful. But for similar reasons, bitter foods can also promote health, Dr. Running said. But, he added, just because proteins bind to the bitter compounds in chocolate, for example, that does not necessarily mean the same will occur for cruciferous vegetables.

Source: New York Times August 20, 2018 11:26 UTC