Cutting Sweet Foods Doesn’t Curb Cravings or Improve Health, Trial Finds

A six-month randomized controlled trial found no significant differences in sweet taste preference or health markers among participants assigned to high-, low-, or average-sweetness diets, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The trial was conducted by researchers at Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands and Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom. Researchers said the results raise questions about public health advice that encourages reducing sweet-tasting foods to combat obesity.  

"People have a natural love of sweet taste which has led many organizations, including the World Health Organization, to offer dietary advice on reducing the amount of sweetness in our diets altogether," said Katherine Appleton, professor of psychology at Bournemouth University and corresponding author for the study. "However, our results do not support this advice, which does not consider whether the sweet taste comes from sugar, low-calorie sweeteners, or natural sources." ...<<<Read More>>>...