Report Confirms Low Calorie Sweeteners Can Be an Important Tool for People with Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes

April 30, 2015

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 40% of Americans will develop diabetes at some point in their lives. It is estimated that 29.1 million people in the U.S. currently have diabetes and another 86 million American adults have pre-diabetes. And, nine out of 10 people with pre-diabetes don’t even know they have it.  A healthy eating pattern, regular physical activity and often medication are key components to managing diabetes.

For those who have diabetes, or are at risk for developing it, low calorie sweeteners can be an important tool in reducing added sugars and carbohydrate intake, according to a review published in US Endocrinology (full review here). In the review, researchers at Baylor University School of Medicine confirm that low calorie sweeteners, such as sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in Splenda^® Sweetener Products, can be a safe and effective tool to help people with diabetes manage their calorie and carbohydrate intake and may facilitate weight management¹. The authors find that low calorie sweeteners “can serve an important role in diabetes prevention and management” and that they provide patients with diabetes “considerable flexibility in their health goals and personal dietary preferences.”

The publication highlights that low calorie sweeteners, when used to reduce sugar intake, offer a practical method for facilitating a reduction in both calorie and carbohydrate intake. Studies show that intake of added sugars can add significant calories and carbohydrate to the daily diet: The average American adult consumes 22 teaspoons of added sugars a day (a whopping 352 calories, as easy as drinking two and a half cans of soda) and teens consume even more—an average of about 34 teaspoons (544 calories!) a day². The authors report that reducing excessive sugar intake, by using low calorie sweeteners, “can be a preventative measure to combat excessive weight gain in at-risk individuals.”

“Developing a plan to manage your health whether you are pre-diabetic or have diabetes can have long lasting benefits,” says V. Lee Grotz, Director, R&D Fellow, McNeil Nutritionals, LLC. “Meal planning is a specific part of the recommended therapy for pre-diabetes and diabetes management, and this can include making better food choices.  Swapping out full sugar for Splenda^® Sweetener Products, drinking water instead of full-calorie soda or juice, and eating the right amount of fruits and veggies everyday—instead of high-calorie snacks—are all ways that may help with managing both calorie and carbohydrate intake.  These examples are all simple and easy lifestyle choices that people with diabetes can make to achieve a healthy eating pattern.”

Sucralose, the zero calorie ingredient in Splenda^® Sweetener Products, is not sugar and the body does not recognize it as such. Unlike sugar, sucralose is not broken down for energy. It is not a source of carbohydrate or glucose, and clinical studies have shown it has no effect on blood glucose levels, insulin secretion or blood levels, glycosylated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c), or blood glucose control.

For more information about sucralose or the Splenda^® Brand, visit www.splendaliving.com. To view a video on the key benefits of sucralose produced by Calorie Control Council visit, http://goo.gl/6ldzrd.

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