What are palatable foods?

Palatable foods are those that are pleasing and appealing to eat. The concept of palatability encompasses not only taste but also texture, mouthfeel, and other sensory factors. Natural palatability evolved to make calorie-dense foods like fats and sugars appealing, which was crucial for survival in calorie-scarce environments 1 2.

However, modern hyperpalatable foods combine ingredients like fats, sugars, and salts in ways that do not naturally occur, creating intensely pleasurable eating experiences. These combinations can drastically enhance reward mechanisms in the brain, making these foods highly enticing and difficult to stop eating. Such foods can override natural satiety signals, leading to overeating and possibly significant changes in brain function similar to addictive substances 2 3 4.