When it comes to food, particularly sweets, I have come to realize that my taste preferences are drastically different from my peers. I will confess that while my friends favor milk chocolate, I despise it. The other day I decided to try whoppers again, curious if my taste buds had matured and I couldn’t stand the persistent sweetness. When given the choice between red licorice and black licorice, I admittedly will choose black in a heartbeat. When I drink tea, you will never catch me adding sugar. 

In the United States, everything is processed to the maximum. I sometimes wonder if we have just become accustomed to it. It is my personal opinion that the way food is processed in the U.S. does not only make for unhealthy consumption, but tastes awful. When eating the popular staples, I feel like I can taste nothing but the sugar and refinement. It tastes artificial, and ultimately, takes away from the original authentic tone of the food. 

For instance, chocolate without sugar has a subtle and rich bitterness.  In adding additional sugar, the rich, nutty taste is taken away, and you are left with something less genuine as well as less nourishing. Additionally, in tea, when you add a spoonful of sugar, the primary flavor is now “sweet.” It sticks out so profoundly that the actual herbal flavor is hard to distinguish, and the bitter flavor from which each unique tea gains its flavor profile is masked in an unnecessary additional substance.

Not only is our food stripped of its flavor, but we are robbing our food of its medicinal and dietary value. These processed foods that we have made deleterious to our health are usually beneficial in their natural state. Foods like cocoa are actually supposed to be good for the heart, cognitive function, and mood. Marshmallows are the same. Mallow root is found in the tea “throat coat,” which is commonly used to ease congestion and colds. But guess where you can’t find the ingredient mallow root: on an actual bag of marshmallows. 

Some might find it more favorable to constantly consume overly sweetened things. I can see how that comes to be especially since in this country, consumers are raised upon a particular type of food. It’s something we have adapted into our diets, and have come to perceive as normal. When sugar and overly processed food have been made the norm, it’s hard to break from the pattern and revert to the simple ingredients. But when you do, I assure you it’s worth it. 

American culture has made it so that the unique and sophisticated tastes are regularly squandered by layers of sweetness, but if you peel back those layers and explore the flavor profiles hidden within, you will find that there is a new world of variety underneath. Getting out of your comfort zone and trying foods with less sugar content will not only make you feel good, but will deepen your perspective within the realm of taste. 

This is not to say that an occasional treat is not okay. I actually think that less sugar makes the occasional treat more indulgent, but when you can learn to find enjoyment in what real ingredients have to offer, I can confidently say you will find more bliss in everyday food and in life. Real ingredients give depth unlike any other. 

So, next time you’re in the candy aisle, maybe try grabbing the bar with a higher cocoa percentage. Maybe next time you drink your tea, try a sip without sugar. Who knows? What is hidden beneath the excess sugar might pleasantly surprise you.