Study reveals link between certain foods and ‘dark personality traits’

If you enjoy eating these certain foods, experts say you may exhibit some ‘psychopathic’ or ‘sadistic’ personality traits.

Are you one of those people who prefer a super strong, freshly-roasted black coffee over a cappuccino, or do you crave the intense taste of 90 per cent dark chocolate over white or milk?

How about during a night out? Would you reach for a negroni or gin and tonic over a glass of sweet moscato or a juicy tequila sunrise?

Well, we have some bad news.

If you find yourself leaving towards foods with this type of bitter flavour profile, it might reveal a dark truth.

People on social media have been losing their minds in recent weeks over a 2016 study that looked into an individual’s taste preferences and what this said about their personality.

Experts have warned that people who enjoy bitter foods may have a very dark side to them and could exhibit psychopathic, anti-social and sadistic personality traits.

People who liked black coffee might exhibit darker personality traits. Picture: iStock

Researchers from the University of Innsbruck in Austria investigated the taste preferences of 953 Americans for the groundbreaking study.

The participants were asked about their partiality for sweet, sour, salty and bitter food and beverages.

These same people then had to answer four different personality surveys that assessed anti-social personality traits such as psychopathy, narcissism, aggression and sadism.

The results of the study found that there was a significant link between the “increased enjoyment of bitter foods and heightened sadistic proclivities”.

Bitter foods included things like gin and tonics, black coffee and dark chocolate.

“In two studies, we investigated how bitter taste preferences might be associated with anti-social personality traits,” the study’s abstract read

There are some people that prefer the bitter taste of dark chocolate. Picture: iStock

“Two US American community samples self-reported their taste preferences using two complementary preference measures and answered a number of personality questionnaires assessing Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, everyday sadism, trait aggression, and the Big Five factors of personality.

“The results of both studies confirmed the hypothesis that bitter taste preferences are positively associated with malevolent personality traits, with the most robust relation to everyday sadism and psychopathy.”

I know what you’re thinking. We’ve all heard of psychopaths, but what the hell is ‘everyday sadism’?

According to Psychology Today, the term refers to a person who “takes pleasure from ordinary experiences in which cruelty is vicarious”.

Everyday sadists usually get pleasure from hurting others or watching their suffering.

These individuals might also enjoy watching gory films, they find physical fights exciting and think the act of torture is interesting.

As for psychopaths, studies have suggested that as many as 1 in 22 people could have this condition, meaning we are likely to walk past plenty of these individuals as we go about our day.

Gin and tonics are notoriously bitter. Picture: iStock

Psychopathy is a neuropsychiatric disorder marked by deficient emotional responses, lack of empathy, and poor behavioural controls, commonly result in persistent anti-social deviance and criminal behaviour.

But before you pour your bottle of gin down the sink or chuck your block of dark chocolate in the bin, the researchers warned that this type of investigation into studying the correlation between taste preferences and personality is in its infancy.

They said that while some connection can be established, “evidence is still scarce” and just because someone enjoys bitter foods, does not necessarily mean they will exhibit those aforementioned traits.

The researchers also acknowledged the important distinction between preference and practice.

They highlighted that some people will avoid eating desired foods that are expensive or fattening, while consuming other foods to be social or healthy.

Some people simply can't handle the bitter taste of olives. Picture: iStock

They also note that popular food items such as chilli pepper, beer, wine, and coffee are initially aversive, yet become acquired tastes through exposure and social consequences.

There is also the issue of food sensitivity, as well as experience, which can occasionally resulting from inadvertent consumption – for example, mistaking wasabi for avocado.

Interestingly, other studies have claimed that people who prefer sweet-testing foods may exhibit more “prosocial behaviours”, which include positive acts such as helping, sharing, and caring for others.

It is important not to self-diagnose or diagnose others with personality disorders. If you, or a loved one, are struggling with mental health, please seek help from a professional.

Originally published as Study reveals link between certain foods and ‘dark personality traits’