Why Have Humans Evolved To Have A

[nailit]

taste for sugar?
Its nutritiously empty, rots teeth and is blamed for a whole raft of diseases, not to mention it makes you fat.
And yet humans seem to crave it in one form or another.
If 'survival of the fittest' is the watchword then why do we crave and indulge in a substance that is the antithesis of survival or fitness?
Thanks.

[wolf63]

Instant energy?

[Zacs-Master]

Rather a strange source nailit but a sound theory:
http://www.businessinsider.com/evolutionary-reason-we-love-sugar-2014-4?IR=T

[woofgang]

not sure of the entire accuracy of the theory, but the underlying idea I think is true.....that at some point, loving sugar conveyed an evolutionary advantage and “the fittest” were the ones who enjoyed and sought out sugar.

[Peter Pedant]

Zax URL is not too bad
for a business article

the kernel is that hexoses give instant energy but were not that common and most common in ripe fruit
under these circs - a craving would have an evolutionary advantage

the article THEN says - oh and there also developed a shunt in times of energy glut a shunt to fat... the article doesnt say THAT is more contentious and one man's opinion

[ because to metabolise fat back to energy efficiently - you need... sugar - which is definitely NOT in the article ]

but you know - theory works OK

[Old_Geezer]

I believe mother's milk is sweet so less sweet things are more of acquired taste. Feed that preference for sweetness and it becomes a permanent desire.

[DaisyNonna]

I don't crave sweetness but saltiness

[ToraToraTora]

the body craves calories, sugar is a very good source.

[atalanta]

the stone-age caveperson's keenness for sweetness led her/him to seek out berries, which as well as being sweet, provided vitamins. It was the vitamin content, not the sweetness, which was the main evolutionary driver of this impulse. Now the sweetness and the vitamins have been separated by modern food technology, but the desire remains.
But humans are quite capable of controlling themselves if they want to.

[nailit]

All great answers, thanks guys. Very helpful.