Overview of the SWEET project publications - health and environmental impact of sweeteners

SWEET is a H2020 project with a wide-ranging scope to examine the impact of replacing sugar in foods with various types of low or no-calorie sweeteners, that ended in March 2024.

The project’s research programs looked into impacts on health and food behaviour, in particular regarding the potential to combat obesity and its related pathologies (diabetes, cardiovascular disease). Through a range of life cycle assessments, the project also examined the potential for the replacement of sugar with sweeteners to positively impact the environmental footprint of sweet foods and beverages.

Below you will find a summary of the results of the many scientific publications that were generated by the project, with a link to the source publication:

Impact of sweetener consumption on health and food behaviours

A study links the sweetener erytitrol with increased cardiovascular risk

An international published a study in Nature Medicine warning that Erythritol, a popular alternate sweetener, may contribute to clogged arteries and strokes. However, scientists point out the limitations of the work and consider that, as regulatory agencies say, its use is safe.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02223-9.epdf

Replacing sugar with low-calorie sweeteners in beverages might be associated with lower mortality risk, particularly in women

A study carried out among Dutch adults has shown an association between consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and an increase in all-cause mortality. Replacing SSB with low/no-calorie beverages (LNCB) might be associated with lower mortality risk, particularly in women. Moderate intake of fruit juice was associated with lower all-cause mortality risk.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-022-03023-6

Sweetener blends can reduce glycaemic response compared to sucrose

A SWEET project team studied the effects of consuming different blends of on-nutritive sweeteners and sweetness enhancers (S&SEs) in beverages compared to consuming sucrose, focusing on glycaemic response, food intake, appetite sensations and safety after a carbohydrate-rich breakfast meal.

The sweeneter blends studies were mogroside V and Stevia RebM; stevia RebA and thaumatin; and sucralose and acesulfame-potassium (ace-K).

The study confirms that the explored S&SEs in beverage format could be used to improve the glycaemic response to a meal without significant negative effects on acute food intake behaviour or body metabolism, which would support their potential role in the prevention and management of diabetes and for body weight management, as part of a wider lifestyle approach.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666323000685

Study of impact of low/no-calorie-sweetened beverage consumption on weight change and waist size does not confirm benefits

This analysis of five European studies found a weak association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and an increase in weight and waist change, whilst low/no-calorie sweeteners consumption was associated with increased weight only. Thus, the benefit of LNCBs as an alternative to SSBs remains unclear.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-023-03192-y

Moderate fruit juice consumption may have greater positive impact on weight than sugar or sweeteners

A SWEET project study examined prospective dose-response associations of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), low/no-calorie beverages (LNCB), and fruit juice with body weight-related outcomes among 78,286 Dutch adults followed for around 4 years.

Overall, the results suggest that habitual consumption of both SSB and LNCB may adversely affect weight-related outcomes. In contrast, fruit juice consumption <150 ml may be beneficial with respect to weight and waist circumference.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.889042/full

Low-calorie sweetened beverages may help people to eat less and feel more positive about their eating

A publication from the University of Liverpool has tested whether low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) beverages might satisfy the desire for sweet taste and thus help control their food intake.

While the experiments did not show that consumption of LCS beverages reliably protected consumers from craving-induced increases in energy intake (the two experiments conducted had contrasting results), it did show that frequent consumers felt less guilty and more in control of their eating when LCS beverages were available.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938418310199?dgcid=coauthor

A review indicates sweeteners can reduce dietary energy intake

A scientific review carried out by SWEET researchers assessed the impact of non-calorie sweeteners (NCS) on eating behaviour, including subjective appetite, food intake, food reward and sensory stimulation; and secondly, assessed the metabolic impact of NCS on body weight regulation, glucose homeostasis and gut health.

Overall, the available data suggests that NCS can be used to facilitate a reduction in dietary energy content without significant negative effects on food intake behaviour or body metabolism, which would support their potential role in the prevention of obesity as a complementary strategy to other weight management approaches. More research is needed to determine the impact of NCS on metabolic health, in particular gut microbiota.

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/fo/d0fo02424d/unauth

Environmental impact of sweeteners

Life cycle assessment of stevia indicates environmental advantages compared to sugar

SWEET project scientists conducted research to see how making alternate sweeteners from stevia plants affects the environment compared to making sugar. They found that making sweetener from stevia is better for the environment because it uses less land and water than making the same amount of sweetness from sugar.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11367-022-02127-9

Life cycle assessment of thaumatin indicates environmental and economic impacts that could benefit rural West African communities

The results of the life cycle assessment show that thaumatin, a plant native to West Africa, can be used to reduce the environmental impact of the sweet taste of added sugar in foods and drinks. In addition to the health benefits of delivering the same sweet taste with less sugar, increasing thaumatin production offers opportunities for the economic development of rural West African communities.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652623013847

Life cycle assessments of aspartame and neotame: neotame presents lower environmental impact  despite using more resources in its production

In this study the environmental impact of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) aspartame and neotame are presented. This is the first such study attempting to quantify environmental impact of neotame.

Neotame is a derivative of aspartame, that requires more resources in its production than aspartame. However, when replacing sugar for sweetness, neotame’s environmental impact is significantly lower aspartame compared to sugar. The incredibly high sweetness intensity of neotame (200 to 8000 times that of sugar) makes it a favorable choice from an environmental perspective.

Researchers underline the challenges to obtaining accurate data and analysing complex factors. Despite these complexities, the study emphasises the potential of NNSs not just for our health, but for our planet as well.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652623030123

Life cycle assessment of sucralose: potential to reduce impact, but industry collaboration needed to reduce uncertainties

This life cycle assessment is the first for sucralose produced from cane sugar produced in the USA. Results indicate that sucralose has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of replacing the sweet taste of sugar. However, data were derived from literature and future collaboration with industry would help in reducing identified uncertainties. Accounting for functional use of sucralose in food and drink formulations is also necessary to fully understand the entire life cycle impact.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11367-023-02228-z

Further reading

• Sweet project: https://sweetproject.eu/