Flavor-nutrient learning is less rapid with fat than with carbohydrate in rats.

Flavor-nutrient learning occurs when the post-ingestive consequences of a food are associated with its flavor. As a signal of the food's energy density, flavor-nutrient associations have the potential to contribute to the regulation of meal size. While all calorie sources (fat, carbohydrate, protein, ethanol) can support flavor-nutrient learning, prior research has found that flavor-nutrient associations based on fat may require higher nutrient concentrations and more rigorous experimental protocols than are required to train carbohydrate (cho)-based associations.