International Experts in Health Science Agree on Benefits of Low Calorie Sweeteners

02 Dec 2014 --- A team of nutrition experts have collaborated on a review of low calorie sweeteners (LCS) and concluded that they do work and are safe to use.

At the recent International Sweeteners Association (ISA) conference, multidisciplinary independent experts, Sigrid Gibson, Prof Adam Drewnowski, Prof James Hill, Prof Eeva Widström, Prof Hely Tuorila and Prof Anne Raben, took the opportunity to collaborate on a review of low calorie sweeteners’ (LCS) benefits drawing on scientific research.

“The consensus amongst experts in their fields is that, yes, low calorie sweeteners do work”, said Prof Adam Drewnowski, adding: “all the toxicological and safety work done by international agencies has repeatedly attested to their safety and efficacy”.

The Consensus statement on the benefits of low-calorie sweeteners, published in the December 2014 issue of Nutrition Bulletin – a peer-reviewed journal which provides news and scientific reviews – outlines the beneficial role that low calorie sweeteners can play in diet and lifestyle choices. Conclusions confirm positive results from recent scientific studies showing that LCS do not increase appetite and have no discernible effect on satiety, and can, in fact, enhance weight loss under real-life conditions when used as part of a behavioural weight loss programme.

Furthermore, experts agree that low calorie sweeteners can have a beneficial effect on post-prandial glucose and insulin in healthy individuals and in people with diabetes, with a positive impact on dental health when used in food, beverages, toothpaste and medications, provided other constituents are also non-cariogenic and non-erosive.

By drawing attention to the wealth of recent evidence-based research about the benefits of low calorie sweeteners, the paper addresses misperceptions and misinformation about the effects of LCS. Moreover, it reminds health care professionals and the general public of the endorsement low calorie sweeteners have received from regulatory authorities around the world.

“Weight management is one of the primary reasons people use low calorie sweeteners, and I think now we have just a tremendous number of studies that show that low calorie sweeteners are positive, not negative, tools for weight management”, points out Prof James Hill, concluding “that is a message that needs to be more widely understood.”

By providing sweetness without the calories, low calorie sweetened options can make a useful contribution to a healthy, calorie-controlled diet. They are also kind to teeth.