Beyond Sugar: A Holistic Review of Sweeteners and Their Role in Modern Nutrition.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review without systematic search methodology or primary human experimental data
PubMed 41008155 · doi:10.3390/foods14183182
What was done
This is a narrative review categorizing synthetic sweeteners (including aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin), natural plant-derived alternatives (such as stevia and monk fruit), and polyols (such as sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol). The authors examine physicochemical characteristics, relative sweetness, glycemic index, taste receptor mechanisms, health controversies, processing feasibility, and commercialization challenges.
What was found
The abstract reports that relative sweetness among the reviewed sugar substitutes ranges from 100 to 220,000 times sweeter than sucrose. No other specific quantitative findings, statistical data, or clinical effect sizes are reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
The paper synthesizes the functional, sensory, and metabolic properties of sugar alternatives to guide their technological use in low-calorie and diabetes-friendly food formulations.
Limits
As a narrative review, it lacks systematic search methodology, meta-analytic pooling, and risk-of-bias assessment. It provides no primary human experimental data or quantitative health outcomes.
Cited by
- supports Artificial sweeteners can be up to a thousand times sweeter than regular sugar.