How Genes Influence a Love for Sweet Foods

It turns out that liking or indifference toward sweet foods may be not only a matter of taste, but also a feature of how genes function. New research shows that people who have difficulty digesting sucrose often have a reduced craving for sweets. This is linked to the sucrase isomaltase gene, which codes for an enzyme that helps break down sugar.

Scientists first tested this hypothesis on mice that lacked this gene. These animals hardly touched sweet food. Researchers then studied humans. Several thousand residents of Greenland and more than one hundred thousand participants from the UK Biobank took part in the analysis. Those whose sucrase isomaltase gene functioned poorly or did not work at all did indeed consume significantly less sugar.

However, the researchers emphasize that a dislike for sweets should not automatically be explained by genetics alone. Taste preferences are influenced by many factors, from habits to dietary patterns. Genetics is only one of the possible contributors.

At the same time, excessive sugar consumption remains a serious problem. It is associated with obesity and type two diabetes. Scientists suggest that a deeper understanding of how the sucrase isomaltase gene works may help develop methods to reduce sugar cravings and improve the body’s ability to process it.