Nutritive and Non-Nutritive Sweeteners

NNNS: Energy Density (2006)

• Intervention
  Do intakes of non-nutritive sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose, neotame) affect energy density?

  • Conclusion

    There is little evidence found from short-term studies, done in children and women of normal weight, that reducing energy density of foods by substituting sugars with artificial sweeteners decreases energy density. More study needs to be done pertaining to the issue of prevention of excess intake, if given calories were provided in a beverage form vs. solid food mass.

  • Grade: III
    • Grade I means there is Good/Strong evidence supporting the statement;
    • Grade II is Fair;
    • Grade III is Limited/Weak;
    • Grade IV is Expert Opinion Only;
    • Grade V is Not Assignable.
    • High (A) means we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect;
    • Moderate (B) means we are moderately confident in the effect estimate;
    • Low (C) means our confidence in the effect estimate is limited;
    • Very Low (D) means we have very little confidence in the effect estimate.
    • Ungraded means a grade is not assignable.
  • Evidence Summary: Do intakes of non-nutritive sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose, neotame) affect energy density?
    • Detail
    • Quality Rating Summary
      For a summary of the Quality Rating results, click here.
    • Worksheets
      • Anderson GH, Saravis S, Schacher R, Zlotkin S, Leiter LA. Aspartame: effect on lunch-time food intake, appetite and hedonic response in children. Appetite. 1989 Oct; 13 (2): 93-103.
      • Drewnowski A, Intense sweetners and energy density of foods: implications for weight control European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1999, 53: 757-763.
      • Raben A, Vasilaras TH, Moller AC, A Astrup. Sucrose compared with artificial sweeteners: different effects on ad libitum food intake and body weight after 10 wk of supplementation in overweight subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;76:721-9.
      • Stubbs J, Ferres S, Horgan G. Energy density of foods: effects on energy intake. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2000 Nov; 40 (6): 481-515. Review.