Evolutionary explanations of food preference

Food preferences have evoleved because they have an adaptive value. Most human evolution occured during the pleistocence era when food was only available periodically. Therefore, humans evolved to favour energy-rich foods and store excess as fat for times of scarcity. We still exhibit these tendencies , even though food is available perpetually. Food preferences therefore reflect the need for energy, stored nutrition and the necessity to avoid toxins.

Sweet tastes indicate high-energy foods and non-toxicity and through natural selection became a universal food preference. 

• De Araujo et al (2008) found that mice that could not taste sweetness preffered sugar solution to non-calorific sweeteners, suggesting that the preference is based not on sweetness but on calorie content.

A bitter taste indicates toxicity. Plants…