Sugar Coated
Speculative Design/ Service Design/ Product Design
Sugar Coated is a project designed to assist consumers in identifying and discovering sugary foods that exceed their expectations in the supermarket setting. Given that people's health is now compromised by sugary foods and that businesses' deliberate packaging and marketing of such products cannot easily be changed or strictly regulated, it remains a challenge. However, accurately gauging and understanding the level of added sugar in products is consistently difficult for consumers. Therefore, expecting every individual to select processed foods that align with their physiological needs proves to be particularly challenging.
Historical Research
Sugar, as a cherished nutrient, led early primates to develop a specific craving for fruits. Consequently, honey, being a source of pleasure, became an early social symbol of power and a pivotal bargaining chip in politics and religion across most ancient societies.
The affluent of medieval Europe were drawn to the delights of sweetness, which directly contributed to the growth of slavery associated with sugar production. Post the Industrial Revolution, inaugural industrial machines like juicers and steamers were introduced to American plantations, causing slaveholding estates to transition into factories. Sugar production escalated with each passing day, leading sugar to integrate into the stream of global trade and inevitably dominate people's diets.
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It wasn't until the passing of U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower and the onset of a surge in obesity rates in the United States that it caught the attention of the medical community. In an attempt to absolve sugar from suspicion, the Sugar Association sponsored scientific research by providing funding for the creation of "soft" articles. In the 21st century, the high global obesity rate and the associated diseases compelled everyone to reevaluate the sugar issue. This resulted in the emergence of new consumer brands offering "low sugar and low fat" drinks, children's snacks, healthy meals, and diet options.
From luxury to sugar free
Humans enjoy sweet foods because we have evolved mechanisms to consume sugars to convert them into energy. Our ancestors were in a harsh survival environment for a long time, and sugar would have been a rare and scarce resource, which is why the brain rewarded us with a sweet treat to get hooked on the taste. They are like air-drop boxes that suddenly dropped in the early game of human survival, a reward from the heavens and a gift from nature. People with a sweet tooth are more likely to survive when energy supplies are scarce, and genes take note of this preference.
