Sweet tasting foods don't only trigger the taste buds, they also switch on a neurological pathway that begins in the gut. In the intestines, signals of sugar ingestion travel to the brain, sparking an appetite for more sweet foods. However, this pathway only responds to sugars, not artificial sweeteners.
Rats exposed to blue light at night were more prone to indulge in sugary snacks than regular foods.
FGF21, a hormone created in the liver in response to increased levels of sugar, acts in the brain to suppress sugar intake and controls the preference for sweet-tasting foods.
Study reveals a high fructose diet could contribute to bipolar disorder, ADHD, and behavioral aggression.
Signals for taste and nutrients are processed in two separate areas of the striatum, a new study reports.
A new study reveals blocking taste receptors leads people to desire sweeter, higher calorie foods. Researchers believe a dulled sense of taste could increase a person's obesity risk.
Consuming a diet rich in ultra-processed foods like chips, cookies, deep-fried foods, and salty snacks were associated with a higher risk of developing dementia.
A new study reports fructose produces less reward sensations in the brain than glucose.
Excessive glucose consumption directly promotes the pathological function of certain cells within the immune system. Calorie-reduced diets can have beneficial effects on the immune system and have autoimmune diseases.
Excess consumption of both regular and diet soda are associated with accelerated brain aging, smaller hippocampal volume and poor memory.
Carbohydrate consumption from sugary drinks and snacks does not help to improve mood. The findings may help increase public awareness that the 'sugar rush' is a myth and help inform health policies to promote healthier alternatives.
Consuming high levels of sugar-sweetened beverages early in life may lead to memory problems during adulthood. Researchers found, compared to rats who consumed only water, those who drank sugar-sweetened beverages had difficulties in memory recall associated with the hippocampus. The study also found a link between specific changes in gut bacteria in rats who drank sugary drinks and impaired brain function.