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Does Eating Less Sweet Food Actually Make You Crave It Less? A New Study Says No
TL;DR: A six-month study found that changing how much sweet-tasting food you eat doesn’t change how much you like sweetness, and it didn’t improve heart or diabetes risk markers. The real issue? Sugar and calorie-dense foods—not sweet taste itself.
The Big Question: Can You Train Your Sweet Tooth?
Have you ever heard advice like "Cut out sweet foods and you’ll stop craving them"? It sounds logical—like turning down the volume on a radio. But a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests our taste buds don’t work that simply.
Researchers from Wageningen University (Netherlands) and Bournemouth University (UK) put this idea to the test—and the results might surprise you.
How the Study Worked: A Simple Breakdown
1. Who Participated?
- 180 adults were recruited for a six-month trial.
2. How Were They Divided?
Participants were randomly split into three groups, each following a different diet:
| Group | Sweetness Level | What They Ate |
|---|---|---|
| High Sweetness | Lots of sweet-tasting foods | Foods sweetened with sugar, natural sugars (like fruit), and low-calorie sweeteners |
| Low Sweetness | Very little sweet-tasting food | Minimal sweet flavors from any source |
| Average Sweetness | Typical amount of sweetness | A normal, balanced diet with moderate sweet foods |
Important: The sweet taste came from three different sources—not just sugar! This matters because:
- Fruit = natural sugar + fiber + vitamins
- Diet soda = low-calorie sweetener + no sugar
- Candy = added sugar + little nutrition
3. What Did Researchers Measure?
At 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months, they checked:
- How much participants liked sweet foods
- How strong sweetness tasted to them
- Body weight
- Blood & urine markers for:
- Diabetes risk (like blood sugar control)
- Heart health (like cholesterol, inflammation)
What They Found: The Surprising Results
Sweetness Preference Didn’t Budge
- People eating lots of sweet food didn’t start liking sweetness more.
- People eating very little sweet food didn’t start liking it less.
- Taste preference stayed the same across all three groups.
Health Markers Didn’t Change Either
- No meaningful differences in:
- Body weight
- Blood sugar / insulin markers
- Cholesterol or inflammation levels
- Whether you ate high, low, or average sweetness—health risks looked the same.
Old Habits Came Back Fast
After the study ended, most participants naturally returned to their usual sweet food intake—suggesting forced changes don’t stick.
Why This Matters: Rethinking Public Health Advice
Key Insight: Sweetness ≠ Sugar
| Concept | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | A taste sensation | Strawberries, stevia, honey, candy |
| Sugar | A nutrient (carb) that adds calories | Table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup |
| Energy-Dense Foods | Lots of calories in a small portion | Fries, donuts, fast-food burgers |
The Problem with "Eat Less Sweet Food" Advice
- Fruit tastes sweet → but it’s healthy (fiber, vitamins, water)
- A burger may not taste sweet → but can be loaded with hidden sugar + fat
- Diet soda tastes sweet → but has zero sugar
Professor Katherine Appleton (Lead Researcher):
"It’s not about eating less sweet food to reduce obesity. The health concerns relate to sugar consumption and energy-dense foods. Public advice needs to focus on reducing added sugars and calorie-packed processed foods—not sweet taste itself."
What Are Energy-Dense Foods? (Simple Explanation)
Think of it like packing a suitcase:
- Energy-dense = You fit lots of calories into a tiny space (like a handful of nuts or a cookie)
- Nutrient-dense = You fit lots of vitamins/fiber into that same space (like a big bowl of salad)
Many ultra-processed foods are both energy-dense AND low in nutrients—a double whammy.
Summary: What You Should Take Away
| Supported by Study | Not Supported |
|---|---|
| Sweet taste preference is stable—it doesn’t shrink or grow based on exposure | Cutting sweet foods "resets" your taste buds |
| Sugar and calorie density matter more for health than sweetness | All sweet-tasting foods are bad |
| Naturally sweet foods (fruit, dairy) can be part of a healthy diet | You must avoid sweetness to be healthy |
| Dietary advice should target added sugar and processed foods | Blanket "reduce sweetness" recommendations |
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
1. If I stop eating sweet things, will I stop craving them?
Probably not. This study found that even after six months of low sweetness, people’s liking for sweet taste didn’t decrease. Cravings are complex—habit, emotion, and biology all play roles.
2. Are artificial sweeteners better than sugar?
They’re different. Low-calorie sweeteners give sweetness without sugar’s calories or blood sugar impact. But this study didn’t test long-term effects of sweeteners alone—just sweet taste from mixed sources.
3. Should I stop eating fruit because it’s sweet?
Absolutely not! Fruit has natural sugars + fiber + water + vitamins. It fills you up and supports health. The study included fruit in the high-sweetness group—and still found no harm.
4. What should I cut back on then?
Focus on:
- Added sugars (in soda, sauces, baked goods, cereals)
- Ultra-processed, energy-dense foods (chips, fast food, pastries)
- Hidden sugars in "non-sweet" foods (bread, salad dressing, yogurt)
5. Does this mean I can eat all the sweet stuff I want?
No. The study says sweet taste isn’t the villain—excess sugar and calories are. A donut and an apple both taste sweet. One nourishes you; the other spikes blood sugar and leaves you hungry.
Final Thought
Bottom Line: Your sweet tooth isn’t a volume knob you can turn down by force. Instead of fighting your biology, outsmart your environment—choose whole foods, watch for hidden sugars, and don’t fear the natural sweetness of real food.
Science doesn’t say "eat more candy." It says: "Blame the sugar, not the sweetness."
