‘Diet’ labels may make low-sugar drinks taste worse, new study suggests
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Labels and expectations may shape taste more than people realize, according to a new study that finds artificially sweetened drinks made from sugar seem more enjoyable.
Researchers from Radboud University in the Netherlands and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England found that participants found an artificially sweetened drink more pleasant when they thought there was real sugar in a glass of lemonade.
Brain scans showed stronger activity in the reward-related part of the brain when people thought they were getting sugar, even when they were actually given sweeteners, according to research published in March in the Journal of Neuroscience.
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The study started with 99 healthy adults and narrowed down to 27 participants who were unable to reliably distinguish between sugar and artificial sweeteners and then had brain scans.
The design was intended to reduce obvious taste differences and allow researchers to focus more closely on the role of expectation, according to the study.
A new study suggests that the expectation of sugariness may make artificially sweetened drinks taste more enjoyable. (iStock)
During the experiments, participants were given sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened lemonades under different cue conditions. In one part of the study, researchers manipulated how likely participants were to ingest sugar or sweeteners. In another, participants were sometimes told to expect sugar but were actually given sweeteners, and vice versa.
Researchers found that people’s accuracy in choosing sugar over sweetener depends largely on their expectations, and satisfaction rates also vary with expectation.
The researchers found that people’s accuracy in distinguishing sugar from sweetener depended largely on expectations, and pleasantness ratings varied accordingly.
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According to the study, participants rated artificial sweeteners as more pleasant when they thought they were getting sugar, while people rated sugar as less pleasant when they believed it was artificial.
The findings suggest that taste is shaped not only by the drink itself, but also by the predictions the brain is about to receive, the authors said.
Researchers believe perception and labeling may influence how people experience sweet foods and drinks. (iStock)
“Expectation of sugar appears to increase the subjective value of the noncaloric sweetener,” the authors wrote.
The findings may provide clues about how consumers experience “diet” or “low-calorie” products and how these foods are labeled or framed.
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“If we emphasize that healthier food alternatives are ‘nutrient-rich’ or contain ‘minimal added sugar,’ this can create more positive expectations than using terms like ‘diet’ or ‘low-calorie,'” Margaret Westwater, a co-author of the study, said in a statement.
“This may help people align their food choices with the brain’s calorie preference, while supporting behavior change.”
Brain scans showed increased activity in the reward-related region when participants thought they were consuming sugar. (iStock)
It’s all about perception, said Jessica Cording, a New York-based registered dietitian and author of “The Little Book of Game Changers.” Food and Wine about work.
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“If you expect something with artificial sweeteners to be a ‘diet’ food, it will lower the enjoyment factor, even if it tastes the same,” Cording says. he said.
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“Reshaping the way you think about a food can shape your experience of eating it,” he added.
The findings suggest that labels such as “diet” or “low-calorie” may influence consumers’ perception of taste. (iStock)
However, the study had limitations because it was small and participants were specifically selected because they could not reliably distinguish between sugar and sweetener. Larger studies are needed to determine how broadly valid the findings are, the authors said.
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The findings are consistent with previous research, including animal studies, on how expectation and reward influence responses to sweet foods, and could shape how researchers study diet and eating behavior, according to Westwater.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the study’s authors and the International Sweeteners Association for comment.
