Researchers determine why you crave sweets

When you’re exhausted after a long day at work, you probably go straight into the kitchen to make something to eat. You know you should try to stick to your diet regimen by making a plate of chicken and broccoli, but instead you reach for a comfortable bowl of Frosted Flakes or marinara sauce and pasta. Have you ever wondered what it is about some of your favorite foods that makes you love them so much?

If you check out the ingredient labels on your favorite foods, most of them will contain some amount of sugar. They might not list the word sugar, but instead a form of sugar that may be harder for you to recognize like fructose, saccharose, sucrose, dextrose or corn syrup. Food manufacturers often don’t only put put sugar in the ingredients to give it the flavor it needs, but also to make it irresistible for you to put down.

According to Science Daily, a recent study conducted by Oregon State University sought to find out why humans enjoy sweet-tasting food more than bitter food. While scientists believe it comes from an evolutionary survival mechanism that has allowed us to avoid poisonous substances, researchers weren’t exactly sure how this flavor perception and preference occurred in the body.

The OSU researchers discovered human flavor perception comes from a combination of several senses – taste on the tongue, smell in the nose and from the passage at back of the throat and what is called somesthesis, your touch, temperature and the burn sensation from hot peppers. Although most people assume flavor is tasted on the taste buds, it is actually occurring in the brain and then sent back to your mouth.

“This was an amazing part of our experiments, we did not expect a result so compelling,” explained said Juyun Lim, an assistant professor of food science and technology at OSU. “There has been confusion for centuries about exactly how our senses of taste and smell work. We’re finally starting to work this out.”

Luckily, there are ways you can help control your sugar craving. Skinny D from Dr. Newton’s Naturals provides the body with the essential vitamins and nutrients it needs to reduce sugar cravings and support the body’s healthy cellular response to insulin. This can reduce the glycemic effect of meals and minimize your urge to overeat. It’s the perfect way to win the battle against the bulge and your sweet tooth.

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