In a bid to boost support from policy makers and health professionals for the use of low calorie sweeteners (LCS) in consumers’ diets, the International Sweeteners Association has convened a panel of experts.
The panel has established a Consensus Statement giving an agreed position on the use of sweeteners in five key areas.
In the area of appetite, the panel agreed that LCS do not increase appetite and have no discernible effect on satiety. Although more research is needed into the possible habituation to the effects of sweeteners on appetite, satiety and food intake, current evidence does not suggest that LCS stimulate the appetite; indeed they may satisfy desire for sweet things and help compliance with weight-reducing diets.
LCS help to reduce energy intake when used in place of higher energy ingredients, according to the panel, which highlighted that the benefit of LCS may be greater for beverages (where sugar is the main or only energy source) than for foods, where other macronutrients may be needed to replace sugar and provide bulk. More information from longer term interventions is needed, but it appears that LCS, especially in beverages, can be a useful aid to maintain reduced energy intake.
LCS can enhance weight loss when used as part of a behavioural weight loss programme.
Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses have concluded that using LCS to replace sugars results in modest weight loss (<1kg over several weeks), stated the panel, which also mentioned that LCS beverages were found to produce greater three-month weight loss compared with water in a recent randomised controlled trial.
EFSA has recently approved the health claim that LCS help reduce post-prandial glycaemic response. According to the panel, as maintaining a healthy body weight is central to good control of diabetes, LCS may also benefit people with diabetes by facilitating weight control. More research is needed into their role in long-term blood glucose control.
LCS have dental benefits when used in food, beverages, toothpaste and medications, provided other constituents are also non-cariogenic and non-erosive, is the panel’s conclusion. EFSA has approved the claim that LCS may decrease the rate of tooth demineralisation.
Panel members: S Gibson, A Drewnowski, J Hill, AB Raben, H Tuorila, E Widström
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