Are sugar alternatives good for metabolic health? Perhaps yes, according to recent science
Evidence from a randomized controlled trial says sugar alternatives may not stoke our appetites and could also have metabolic benefits.
Reducing sugar consumption has become a key public health target in the fight to reduce the rising burden of obesity-related metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. But the use of sweet-tasting sugar alternatives (in place of sugar) in foods and beverages has been controversial, due to conflicting reports about their potential to increase appetite and have negative health impacts. Now, a double-blind randomized controlled trial led by the University of Leeds, UK, found that consuming food containing non-caloric sugar alternatives produced a similar reduction in appetite sensations and appetite-related hormone responses as sugary foods, while also providing some metabolic benefits, such as lowering blood sugar. The trial, published in the scientific journal eBioMedicine, consisted of three two-week consumption periods, where overweight or obese participants consumed biscuits with one-of three fillings: a fruit filling containing sugar, the sugar substitute Stevia, or an artificial sweetener. Each ingestion period was separated by a break of 14 to 21 days, with days 1 and 14 of that period taking place in the lab. After consuming the biscuits, study subjects were asked to rate how full they felt over several hours. Glucose, insulin and ghrelin (a hormone involved in appetite) levels were measured, as were a couple of hormones associated with the consumption of food. The ingestion of the two sweetener types showed no differences in appetite or endocrine responses compared to sugar. Conversely, insulin and blood sugar levels (measured over two hours after eating) were reduced during the sweetener trials compared to sugar consumption period. Count these results as an ongoing evolution in our knowledge about how sugar alternatives work in our bodies, and whether they can be an ally in population-level weight and diabetes reduction.
References
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(24)00040-9/fulltext
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
