Do sugar substitutes help you eat less?
The effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on energy and macronutrients intake in adults: a grade-assessed systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
NNSs reduced sugar intake by 1.78 standardized units vs. sugar—but had no effect vs. water.
Many assume artificial sweeteners reduce sugar cravings long-term, but this shows they only displace sugar when directly substituted—they don’t rewire taste preferences or reduce overall sugar desire.
Practical Takeaways
Swap your sugary soda, juice, or dessert for an NNS version to save ~175 calories per day.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
NNSs reduced sugar intake by 1.78 standardized units vs. sugar—but had no effect vs. water.
Many assume artificial sweeteners reduce sugar cravings long-term, but this shows they only displace sugar when directly substituted—they don’t rewire taste preferences or reduce overall sugar desire.
Practical Takeaways
Swap your sugary soda, juice, or dessert for an NNS version to save ~175 calories per day.
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Nutrition
Year
2024
Authors
K. Rostampour, Fatemeh Moghtaderi, Amirhossein Najafi, Behnaz Seyedjafari, Amin Salehi-Abargouei
Related Content
Claims (6)
If you swap sugary foods and drinks for ones with artificial sweeteners, your body might burn more calories than you take in, causing you to lose fat and feel healthier in ways that matter for your heart and metabolism.
If you swap out sugary drinks and snacks for ones with artificial sweeteners, you might eat about 175 fewer calories a day, which could help you manage your weight.
If you swap sugar with sugar-free sweeteners, you’ll likely eat fewer carbs overall—mainly because you’re eating less sugar—and that might help your body manage blood sugar better.
Drinking diet soda instead of water doesn’t make you eat fewer calories — it only helps cut calories if you’re swapping it for sugary drinks instead.
Using sugar-free sweeteners doesn’t make you eat more fat or protein than if you used regular sugar or just drank water—so their main job is just to cut down carbs and calories.