Research confirms that sweeteners do not increase hunger and identifies further health benefits 

 Metal spoon with sweetener and sugar 

A comprehensive study led by the University of Leeds has found that replacing sugar in food with sweeteners  does not increase hunger and leads to lower blood sugar levels, which is beneficial for people at risk of type 2 diabetes. The study, conducted as part of a European consortium, confirmed that the use of sweeteners allows sugar intake to be reduced without negatively affecting appetite or causing undesirable health effects, providing a valuable tool in dietary management and the prevention of obesity-related diseases. 

New research confirms that sweeteners can effectively replace sugar in food by reducing appetite and blood sugar levels without negatively affecting health, supporting the use of sweeteners in nutrition management and public health. 

Replacing sugar in food with artificial and natural sweeteners  does not increase hunger and also helps to lower blood sugar levels, a major new study has found. 

This double-blind, randomized controlled trial found that eating foods containing sweeteners reduced appetite and hormonal responses that stimulate appetite similar to eating foods that contain sugar, and offered several benefits, including lower blood sugar levels, in people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Using sweeteners to replace sugar in food can be controversial, with conflicting reports on their potential to increase appetite. Studies have been conducted before, but without solid evidence. 

However, the researchers say that this study meets the gold standard  of  scientific research and provides very strong evidence that sweeteners and sweetness enhancers have no negative effect on appetite and have a positive effect on reducing sugar intake. 

The trial was led by the University of Leeds in collaboration with the Rhône-Alpes Human Nutrition Research Center. This is the latest study  published by the SWEET Consortium, a group of 29 European researchers, consumers and industry partners, which works to provide evidence on the long-term benefits and potential risks of switching  to sweeteners and sweetness enhancers from a public health and development perspective, including safety, obesity and sustainability. Funded by Horizon Europe. 

Research findings and public health implications 

Lead author Catherine Gibbons, Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Leeds, said: "Reducing sugar consumption has become an important public health goal in combating the growing burden of obesity-related metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. 

 We used nutrition and food production strategies to reduce sugar intake and improve the nutritional profile of commercially available foods and beverages. " 

Lead researcher Graham Finlayson, Professor of Psychobiology in the School of Psychology at the University of Leeds, said: "The use of sweeteners and sweetness enhancers has received a lot of negative attention, including high-profile publications linking their consumption to impaired glycemic response, toxicological damage to DNA, and increased risk of heart attack and stroke. These reports add to the current confusion about the safety of sweeteners and sweetness enhancers among the general public, particularly among people at risk of metabolic disease. "Our study provides important evidence for the daily use of sweeteners and sweeteners to control body weight and blood glucose levels." 

Methodology and participant information 

The  first of its kind, the study examined the effects of consuming cookies containing  sugar or one of two sweeteners, the natural sugar substitute stevia or the artificial sweetener neotame, in 53 overweight or obese adult men and women. 

Most studies have compared only  a single sweetener (usually aspartame) with a control group, and  few  have investigated the effects of repeated daily consumption of a known sweetener or a sweetener in a normal diet. 

The new study was conducted at the University of Leeds and the Rhône-Alpes Human Nutrition Research Center (CRNH-RA) in France from 2021 to 2022. All participants were between 18 and 60 years old and were  overweight or obese. 

The study consisted of three 2-week intake periods in which participants ate cookies containing either sweet fruit fillings, the natural sugar substitute stevia, or the artificial sweetener neotame, each separated by a  14-21 day break. Days 1 and  14 of the intake period took place in the laboratory. 

Participants were instructed to arrive at the laboratory after an overnight fast. Blood samples were taken to measure baseline levels of glucose, insulin, and appetite-stimulating hormones.    After eating the cookies, participants were asked to rate their satiety over a period of several hours. Glucose and insulin levels were measured, as were ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide 1, and pancreatic polypeptide (hormones associated with food intake). 

Results showed no difference in appetite or endocrine response for the two sweeteners compared to sugar, but insulin levels measured over the two hours after the meal were lower, as were blood glucose levels. 

 Professor Ann Löwen of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, co-coordinator of the SWEET project, said: "Sweaters for appetite, energy and weight control." READ MORE