A common idea is that repeated exposure to sweet taste strengthens our preference for sweetness, which then drives greater intake of sweet foods and drinks. This idea is often used in arguments about fruit, low-calorie sweeteners, diet drinks, and the supposed need to "reset" taste preferences by avoiding sweetness altogether.
But does the evidence actually support that causal chain?
In this episode, Prof. Katherine Appleton, Professor of Psychology at Bournemouth University, discusses what is known about sweet taste exposure, sweet preference, and how these concepts are measured in the scientific literature.
Timestamps:
[04:26] Interview starts
[05:51] Does exposure to sweetness lead to greater preference?
[08:36] Sweet liking and other terminiology
[10:50] Phenotypes and measurement
[16:08] Do preferences develop differently in children vs adults ?
[18:54] Liking versus wanting
[23:21] Low calorie sweeteners
[29:41] Sensory specific satiety
[34:23] Practical guidance for clinicians
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