For bitter taste, what may help?

• A. Hard candies like peppermint or lemon
• B. Tea
• C. Coffee
• D. Water

Answer: (A)

When trying to lessen a bitter taste, sweetness and saliva production are the most helpful allies. Hard candies provide a strong, pleasant sweetness that can mask bitterness, and the act of sucking also stimulates saliva. More saliva helps dilute and wash away bitter compounds, making foods or medications easier to tolerate. The peppermint or lemon flavor adds a strong aroma that can further enhance palatability and shift perception away from bitterness.

Other options don’t work as well for masking bitterness. Tea and coffee bring their own bitter notes and can intensify the sensation rather than reduce it, while water simply dilutes without masking and may not improve overall palatability.