I think I know that sugar in the bloodstream does cause insulin to be secreted. And an increase in the sugar level increases the amount of insulin secreted. What about sweet tasting things? Is there any increase in insulin?
I have seen a theory that sweet tasting things might provoke a conditioned insulin response, but I have not seen any empirical support for it (or any evidence to discredit it).
Same here, and on top of that, I’ve read that tasting sweet things may stimulate other hormones, such as ghrelin and another recently discovered one that I’m blanking on. As all three of these have a role in weight regulation, if they do respond to the taste of sweet food, it wouldn’t surprise me.