Introduction and basic explanation – why have we evolved to like sugar?
Humans are, essentially, smart primates. Our monkey ancestors survived – and still do – off fruit found among the trees, and when large groups of apes live together in the same area of forest or jungle, there isn’t heaps of food to go around. And if there isn’t much to eat, it would make sense to try and get as much as possible out of as little as possible. Ripe fruit contains the most water, which is vital for life, and importantly, the most sugar. Sugar was a huge asset for our primate predecessors. It contains glucose, which provides more energy for a short amount of time than most other foods. For the tree-dwelling apes; a good thing. But sugar is more than just glucose.
Humans are, essentially, smart primates. Our monkey ancestors survived – and still do – off fruit found among the trees, and when large groups of apes live together in the same area of forest or jungle, there isn’t heaps of food to go around. And if there isn’t much to eat, it would make sense to try and get as much as possible out of as little as possible. Ripe fruit contains the most water, which is vital for life, and importantly, the most sugar. Sugar was a huge asset for our primate predecessors. It contains glucose, which provides more energy for a short amount of time than most other foods. For the tree-dwelling apes; a good thing. But sugar is more than just glucose.