Metabolic effects of adding sucrose and aspartame to the diet of subjects with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Article Abstract:

In a small group of patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), the effect of using sucrose (table sugar) versus aspartame as a sweetener was investigated. Aspartame is a popular artificial sweetener used by diabetics, whereas sucrose is ordinarily excluded from the diabetic diet. Each subject used either sucrose or aspartame for six weeks and then switched to the other sweetener for another six weeks. Blood tests were performed at the beginning and end of each time period. Use of sucrose did not have measurable adverse effects on blood glucose control, glucose tolerance, insulin action, cholesterol or triglycerides. The authors concluded that the addition of limited amounts of sucrose to the diabetic diet does not upset metabolic control in well-controlled individuals with NIDDM. Metabolic control refers to the levels of blood sugar throughout the day, and well-controlled individuals maintain their blood sugars at close to normal levels. The conclusions of this study should not be applied to all persons with NIDDM, since the subjects studied were all well-controlled and followed their diabetic diet carefully. Addition of sucrose to a more erratic or less healthy eating pattern might have different effects. The number of subjects was also very small, so the group may not represent patients with well-controlled NIDDM in general. It should be noted that sucrose was given as an additive to other foods, which is not equivalent to consuming sweet baked goods that contribute large amounts of fat and calories. The use of aspartame appeared to offer no benefits as compared to sucrose, except that aspartame is free of calories and would be preferable if weight control is a problem. An important limitation of this study was that the blood tests of both glucose and lipids were not extensive. Other studies have found subtle but possibly serious changes in blood lipids related to dietary sucrose.

Sugar-free diet, Sugar free diet, Sucrose

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Relationship between dietary fiber content and composition in foods and the glycemic index

Article Abstract:

The glycemic index (GI) is a relative scale for classifying foods according to the blood sugar response that they cause. For example, potatoes have a GI of 80, whereas macaroni has a GI of 64; this means that potatoes tend to raise blood sugar more than macaroni. The GI may be useful to diabetics who wish to plan their diets to minimize the incidence of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). The relationship of dietary fiber content of 25 foods to their glycemic indexes was studied; both total fiber and its components, soluble and insoluble fiber, were evaluated. The results showed that total dietary fiber and insoluble fiber were associated with GI, but soluble fiber was not. The insoluble fiber content of the foods explained a large amount of the variation in GI, and as insoluble fiber content rose, the glycemic index fell. This result does not support the theory that foods high in soluble fiber necessarily have a low GI; research on purified soluble fiber has suggested this but fibers have different effects when they are consumed as part of whole foods than as isolated substances. Clearly the physiological response to fibers in foods is relevant to diabetic individuals, while the response to purified forms is of less practical significance. These results should be considered preliminary because a fairly small number of foods were analyzed, and as more foods with varying contents of soluble and insoluble fiber are evaluated in the future, the trends observed from this research could change. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Prevention, Blood sugar, Blood glucose, High-fiber diet, High fiber diet, Hyperglycemia, Cookery for diabetics, Diabetic diet, Complex carbohydrate diet

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Effects of consumption of caloric vs noncaloric sweet drinks on indices of hunger and food consumption in normal adults

Article Abstract:

Noncaloric sweeteners, such as saccharin and aspartame, are used in a wide variety of diet beverages. In recent years, several reports have appeared in the popular press suggesting that these sweeteners increase appetite and food intake in people who consume diet beverages. Although a few studies have reported that these sweeteners increase hunger, a large number of studies have reported that these sweeteners do not increase food intake. To investigate this issue further, the effects of aspartame, saccharin and sucrose on hunger and food intake were determined in 20 healthy adult volunteers. Three hours after eating a standard breakfast, the subjects drank 200 milliliters (approximately 7 ounces) of water or a beverage containing one of the three sweeteners. One hour after the beverages were consumed, the subjects rated their perceived feelings of hunger, and the amount of food consumed during a standard lunch was recorded. Reported hunger ratings were higher for those drank water, and lower for those who drank the beverages containing the noncaloric sweeteners, but the difference was not statistically significant. The lowest hunger ratings were reported by those who drank beverages containing sucrose. There was no relationship between the type of beverage consumed and the amount of lunch that was eaten. Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that noncaloric sweeteners do not increase hunger and do not increase food intake. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Saccharin, Hunger, Synthetic sweeteners

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