Eli5 why does something sweet taste less sweet when frozen?

Question

For instance, the otter pops that my kids eat taste less sweet in popsicle form than in liquid form. What dark popsicle magic causes this?

In: 2

Answer 1

The tastebuds work via a checmial reaction involving the substance being tasted (sweet, salt, etc). Most chemical reactions slow down when the reactants are colder. The entire mechanism of detection and nerve firing becomes less efficient. Slower.

This is why ice cream has far more sugar than the same amount would have if served warmer. Having twice the sugar afford more chance for the sweetness to be detected, even if inefficiently.