Why do we like sweet things?

A bite of ripe strawberry, a lick of honey, a sweet juicy apple — yum! Most kids love sweet flavours. But why does sweet make us so happy?

Your tongue is a taster

Look closely in a mirror at your tongue. It is covered in tiny bumps, and inside them are your taste buds. These little helpers tell your brain what your food tastes like — sweet, sour, salty, or bitter.

When something sweet touches your tongue, your taste buds send a happy message zooming up to your brain. Your brain says, “Mmm, I like that!”

Sweet often means energy

Here is the clever part. Sweet foods usually have sugar in them, and sugar gives your body energy to run, jump, and play. Energy is like fuel for your body, the way petrol is fuel for a car.

Long, long ago, before shops, people looked for food in the wild. Sweet things like ripe fruit were safe to eat and packed with energy. So our brains learned to enjoy the sweet taste, to help us find good food.

A little is just right

Because our brains love it so much, sweet treats are easy to eat too much of. A bit of sweetness is lovely, but fruit, veggies, and water keep your body happiest of all.

Wonder fact: Babies are born already liking sweet tastes — even before they have eaten their very first meal!