Why is it that the most delicious food is also often the most unhealthy?

Human evolution has a lot to do with our penchant for tasty, yet often unhealthy, foods.

In ancient times, our ancestors roamed the land, often struggling to find enough to eat. Foods that were high in fat, sugar, or salt were energy-dense and thus highly valuable in those conditions.

Fat provided a long-term energy source, sugar gave a quick boost, and salt was essential for cellular functions and preserving food. Our brains evolved to reward us for finding and consuming these rare, high-energy foods, releasing feel-good chemicals like dopamine that made us want to eat them again and again.

Fast forward to today's world, and we're surrounded by these once-scarce nutrients in abundance. The food industry, aware of our evolutionary predispositions, often enhances products with extra sugar, fat, and salt to make them more palatable and addictive. This maximizes sales but can be detrimental to our health when consumed excessively.