Bariatric surgery changed my taste for the Sweet and Salty

Can Americans Change Their Taste for the Sweet and Salty? - US News and World Report
I read this article and it made me think of how my palate has changed after my bariatric surgery (gastric bypass RNY).  I used to never eat sugar.  I could pass on birthday cake, icecream, almost any desserts.  I had a few things I liked that were really more connected to childhood memories like peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream, DingDongs, strawberry shortcake from Luby's.  Those type sweets I only ate a few times a year and usually in connection to my birthday.  Now carbs, potatoes, rice and pasta was a whole 'nother thing.  I was totaly carb addict!  I would never pass on pasta or mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese.  Spaghetti was my favorite thing to eat or a big bowl of rice or pasta with lots of butter, pepper and garlic salt.   But here's where it changed, after surgery I quit eating any processed carbs and suddenly I was craving sweets.  Me who would eat a can of green beans before a cookie, lol.  So now I realize I am a sugar addict in addition to using food as a coping tool.  I realized all those carbs I craved and ate were really just part of my sugar addiction.  Like an acoholic I was really addicted to the sugar high as much as the actual item.  I combact that sugar craving by eating a steady supply of fruit.  I eat anywhere from 2-3 grapes or an apple with every meal.  It's the only way I have found to keep my sugar fix in check.  So back to this article,  after surgery and my new consumption of whole, less processed foods including fresh fruit I began to be able to taste all the flavors and additives they put in stuff, yogurt especially.  I am now very aware of how overly sweet, salty and flavored our foods our.  So I totally agree with this article.  A person really needs to go to a whole foods way of eating for a couple of months and then go back and try processed stuff to be able to taste the difference.  The problem really lies in the fact that we as Americans don't want to eat whole healthy foods.  Most people complain that fresh fruits and vegetables are too expensive.  At times I am sure that is true but you can always find something on sale.  It's funny bc I've talked to people who only buy fruit or veggies when they are on sale but don't think twice about buying their favorite treats or chips with little regard to price.  A bag of on sale fruit is the same price as a bag of chips but which one would you choose?

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