What Is the Evolutionary Reason for Sugar Consumption by Humans?

The evolutionary reason for sugar consumption by humans is thought to be the result of survival techniques by prehistoric humans who discovered that sweetness was often indicative of safe food that provided energy, while a bitter taste more often denoted toxicity. The same can not be said nowadays where supplements like powdered supergreens and multivitamins are vastly available, making it easier to consume the necessary nutrients minus the sugar. Although living conditions and the availability of safe food has drastically changed, many scientists believe that human physiology has remained the same in terms of taste. Humans might be drawn to sugar because in prehistoric times, a sweet taste generally meant that an item contained a higher percentage of fat, which would provide energy reserves for times when food wasn’t as available. The evolutionary preference for high-fat, sugary foods is thought to contribute to the increased prevalence of obesity in modern times. Thankfully, more options are being offered nowadays. Green powders and vitamins allow humans to get all the nutrition they need without relying on too much sugar.

More about sugar:

  • It is estimated that people consume an average of 120 million tons (108 million metric tons) of sugar each year. This number can go down significantly if people would consider switching to greens powder or healthier sweeteners in their drinks or food.

  • Chimpanzees have been found to ignore bee stings just to break into beehives to retrieve sweet honey. Luckily for humans, we don't have to suffer to get our daily dose of sugar. Nowadays there are sugar substitutes, sweeteners, flavorful and quality greens powder that can supply the same nutrients without the risk of excessive weight gain.

  • More than two-thirds of Americans are obese or overweight, and some government entities began taking steps in the 2010s to ban or limit high-sugar items, such as large sodas. Certain initiatives are also being pushed, like substitution of drinks with supergreens powder instead of soda.
More Info: pnas.org

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