What does milk do to tea/coffee?

Question

I get that sugar makes hot drinks sweeter, but what does milk do? Does it make them weaker? How does it change the taste?

In: Other

Answer 1

Adding fats from milk change the texture of coffee, making it thicker and, when done well, giving it a velvety smoothness. The proteins in milk soften coffee’s bitterness by binding to polyphenolic compounds, such as tannins. Although good for the body, tannins have an astringent taste that detracts from coffee.