Why do we like unhealthy and fattening foods so much ? How does this preference develop in our brain ? ” We think the brain learns this preference ,” explains Sharmili Edwin Thanaraiah , lead author of a scientific study addressing the topic:

The brain responds more to foods high in fat and sugar:

To test this hypothesis, the researchers gave a group of volunteers a small pudding high in fat and sugar every day for eight weeks, in addition to their normal diet. Another group received a pudding that contained the same number of calories, but less fat. The brain activity of the volunteers was measured before and during the eight weeks:

The brain’s response to foods high in fat and sugar increased significantly in the group that ate the high-fat and sugar pudding after eight weeks. This specifically activated the dopaminergic system, the area of ​​the brain responsible for motivation and reward:

The researchers speculate that the preference for sugary foods will continue after the study ends. ” New connections are made in the brain and they don’t dissolve so quickly . After all, the whole point of learning is that once you learn something, you don’t forget it so easily ,” explains Mark Tietgemeier of the same institute, who led the study.