Eating sweets makes you happier. Fact. But the science behind why we love sweets so much is a lot more complex than you think! In this blog, we take a look at why some people have more of a sweet tooth than others, why children crave sugar more than adults do... and we'll reveal which animal can't taste sugar at all!
What is a sweet tooth and why do you have one?
Someone with a sweet tooth is someone who adores sweets! (Our favourite kind of people). But how does someone acquire a sweet tooth? Well, research suggests that a sweet tooth can be attributed to a number of things including; your genetics, the environment you grew up and live in, and your fondest memories of sweets.
Firstly, your DNA determines how sensitive your taste buds are to the taste of sweet foods, so you should be grateful if you're one of the lucky people who's born with taste buds that love sweets!
Secondly, the environment you grow up and live in also plays a role in forming your sweet tooth. If your parents used to give you sweet treats as a child and if you regularly have sweets and chocolate in the house or around you at school/work, then you're much more likely to develop a sweet tooth!
Finally, if you associate fond memories with sweets then you'll be driven to re-create those feelings over and over again. Remember how yummy an ice cream on the beach on a hot day tastes... eating ice cream is likely to take you back to that happy place!
Why do children love sugar more than adults?
The reasons children have such an obsession with all things sweet and sugary is due to their bodies demanding lots of calories to use while they're growing! And, research shows that children who eat more sugar have faster growth spurts and can even end up taller than those who don't eat sweets.
Of course, we recommend only giving little ones sweeties in moderation and making sure they brush their teeth after - but don't prohibit sugar altogether if you want them to grow up big and strong! Why not treat a little one in your life to one of our new children's Letterbox Treats? The box and sweet fill can be easily personalised to make this a truly delightful gift!
View children's Letterbox Treats >
So... which animal can't taste sugar at all?
CATS! Unluckily for cats, they don't have the same sweetness receptors that most other mammals have. Most cat owners are adamant that their cat loves sweets, but it is more likely the fat content of the sweet foods that they are drawn to. They're still sweet and adorable regardless!
So now that we've uncovered some lot of the science of sweets, why don't you treat yourself to some yummy sweet treats? We have a whole host of sweets to choose from on our Pick & Mix page, or you can choose something from one of our other Collections and enjoy!
View Our Sweet Collections >
