Smart Use of Low-Calorie Sweeteners Help Weight Loss

DALLASSubstituting other low-calorie sweeteners, such as Splenda, Equal and Sweet'N Low, for sugars may help people lose weight and help diabetics control blood sugar as long as they dont compensate with additional calories, according to a new joint statement issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Diabetes Association.

The statement, published simultaneously in the journals Circulation and Diabetes Care, and confirms previous support statements from these the two health organizations. Non-nutritive sweeteners covered in the statement include acesulfame potassium, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, stevia and sucralose.

While they are not magic bullets, smart use of non-nutritive sweeteners could help you reduce added sugars in your die; therefore, lowering the number of calories you eat," said scientific statement lead author Christopher Gardner, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at Stanford University in California. Reducing calories could help you attain and maintain a healthy body weight, and thereby lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes. But there are caveats."

The authors noted consumers need to be smart about low-calorie sweeteners and weight management. For example, if a person drinks a beverage sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners instead of a 150-calorie soft drink, they cant turn around and eat a 300-calorie slice of cake or cookies later in the day.

Non-nutritive sweeteners are not going to help you control your weight because you added more calories to your day than you subtracted," Gardner said. However, if you substitute the beverage with non-nutritive sweeteners for a 150-calorie sugar-sweetened soft drink, and dont compensate with additional calories, that substitution could help you manage your weight because you would be eating fewer calories."

The statement also noted non-nutritive sweeteners may help people lose weight and help diabetics control blood sugar. For example, soft drinks sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners do not increase blood glucose levels, and can provide a sweet option for those with diabetes.

The use of non-nutritive sweeteners may be used in a carbohydrate-controlled food plan, to potentially reduce carbohydrate intake which may aid in weight management and diabetes control," said Diane Reader, R.D., CDE, one of the statement authors speaking on behalf of the American Diabetes Association.

Commenting on the position statement, Haley Stevens, Ph.D., president of the Calorie Control Council, said: With the increasing rates of overweight and obesity, low and reduced calorie sweeteners and the products that use them offer consumers great taste with fewer caloriesand controlling calories can aid in weight control and diabetes management."

A variety of new and emerging sweeteners are poised to help meet consumer demand for lower-calorie, healthier foods and beverages. Check out the New and Emerging Sweeteners" slide show on Food Product Design by clicking here.