Sugar on the Brain

The taste of sugar is one of the most primitive sensations experienced by humans and animals. There is a mechanism that links the exposure of sugars at an early age from breast milk or formula through taste receptors on our tongue, which develops an affinity for the taste of sugar or sweetness. While this mechanism is well established, there is research being done linking a separate mechanism between the gut and brain through the vagus nerve that links human’s affinity for sugar and not just the sweet taste. The gut-brain connect is becoming a prominent channel for the transfer neural signals to get information to the brain about the metabolic and physiological condition of the body that motivates consumption of sugar. 

While artificial sweeteners activate the mechanism of a sweet sensation in the mouth, there is not a connection between the sweeteners and gut-brain connection. This connection is important because although you may be satisfying your sweet cravings through the taste receptors, your gut-brain circuit is not satisfied and can cause you to keep desiring sugar.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200415133627.htm