Contrary to popular belief, scientific evidence is showing that an individual’s liking for sweet-tasting foods appears largely independent of how much sugar they regularly consume. Recent long-term dietary research challenges the notion that reducing or increasing sugar in the diet alters one’s sweet preferences.
Long-Term Study Finds No Shift in Sweet Preferences
At American Society for Nutrition’s NUTRITION 2025 conference, researchers led by Kees de Graaf, PhD, emeritus professor at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, presented data from a six-month diet intervention. Participants followed diets with varying levels of sweetness. The results were clear: sweet taste preference remained unchanged, regardless of reduced or increased sweet food exposure. Similarly, no differences were observed in energy intake or body weight among groups. Even after normal diets resumed at one- and four-month follow-ups, sweet consumption returned to baseline levels.
Broader Review Supports Inconsistency of Sweet Preference Links
A 2024 review of UK participants (n = 179) found no correlation between sweet taste liking and actual sugar intake in everyday life. While higher liking sometimes influenced choices in controlled test meals, it did not translate into real-world sugar consumption.
Other systematic reviews and meta-studies consistently show mixed or absent relationships between exposure to sweet tastes and subsequent preferences—particularly when metrics and methodologies vary widely across studies.
Biological and Other Influences Play Stronger Roles
Sweeter preferences appear shaped more by biological, genetic, cultural, and situational factors, rather than diet alone. A comprehensive scoping review categorized determinants such as age, genetic inheritance, hormonal status, personality, lifestyle, and prior exposure—all with variable and often inconsistent impact.
Moreover, liking sweet taste does not always drive sugar consumption. Many individuals with strong sweet preferences satisfy this desire through non-sugar options like low-calorie sweeteners, breaking the direct tie between taste preference and sugar intake.
What Makes This Relevant for American Readers
Diet Culture Myth: The common belief that avoiding sweets automatically weakens cravings may be misleading—preferences seem more ingrained and less modifiable by diet changes.
Public Health Strategy: Efforts focused solely on reducing dietary sweetness may not reduce sugar consumption or shift taste preferences effectively. Policymakers and nutritionists should consider broader approaches.
Individual Understanding: If your cravings remain strong despite cutting sugar, you’re not alone—and it may reflect deep-seated sensory or genetic factors, not dietary failure.
