ABSTRACT
The diet of Western societies is regarded as overly high in refined sugars and fat. Among the chief sources of dietary fat are meat, fats and cooking oils, and dairy products, including milk, cheese, and frozen desserts. Added sugars, mainly sucrose and fructose, are provided by discretionary table use, sweetened beverages, bakery goods, and confectionery products. Scientific literature on the nature of food preferences has been dominated by reports of cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods. Laboratory studies on taste responsiveness have generally focused on the perception of sweetness and the development of preferences for sweet taste. Relatively few studies have explored sensory perception of fats in sweetened foods, or the role fats play in determining food acceptance. The study of fat in food is considerably more complicated than the study of sugar solutions. Fats provide the characteristic texture, flavor, and aroma of many foods and endow foods with a variety of textural characteristics.
