The acute effects of the non-nutritive sweeteners aspartame and acesulfame-K in UK diet cola on glycaemic response

Abstract

Substituting sugar-sweetened for artificially sweetened beverages may reduce energy intakes. This study aims to ascertain the acute glycaemic effects of the NNS aspartame and acesulfame-K in UK diet-cola (DC). Ten healthy participants attended the laboratory fasted on three occasions. Individuals drank (1) 25 g glucose in 125 mL water + 236 mL water, (2) 25 g glucose in 125 mL water with 236 mL DC and (3) 236 mL sucrose-sweetened cola with 125 mL water. Blood (glucose) was measured pre-test and every 15 minutes over a 120-minute period using portable glucometers. The glucose-control and glucose + DC elicited similar blood glucose rises above pre-prandial levels. Sucrose-sweetened cola showed a non-significant lower rise in postprandial glycaemia, exhibiting the lowest glycaemic index (GI) (77.0 ± 9.1). GI of glucose (100.0 ± 15.2) and glucose + DC (104.3 ± 8.5) was similar and a one-way repeated-measures ANOVA showed no significant differences in glycaemic response between test drinks (F(2,29) = 1.68, p > .05). Results demonstrate the glycaemic inactivity of non-nutritive sweeteners.

Keywords:

• Non-nutritive sweeteners
• artificial sweeteners
• aspartame
• acesulfame-K
• diet cola
• glycaemic index

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Victoria Cammack and Natalie Sweet from the Nutrition, Exercise and Health Laboratories at the University of Plymouth.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

L.S. was awarded a grant from the Nutrition Society in the UK for this research. The Nutrition Society had no role in the design, analysis or writing of this article.