Annually, Americans consume an average of 27 kilograms (50 pounds) of sugar. Almost half of this comes from drinks, the American Heart Association says.
According to a study published on Monday, drinks sweetened without sugar may help people at risk or have diabetes.
According to a meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open, researchers found associations between low- or no-calorie sweetened beverages (shortened to “LNCSB” by nutrition professionals) and slight reductions in weight and cardiometabolic risk factors.
“Universally, everyone is recommending a reduction of sugar,” said senior study author Dr. John Sievenpiper. “Now the next question is: What’s the best way to replace it?
“Some beverages will give you that intended benefit and in a way that’s similar to what you would expect from water,” said Sievenpiper, consultant physician at St. Michael’s Hospital and associate professor in the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto.
The study was “set up well” and that it adds evidence “that in the moderate term LNCSBs are a viable alternative to water for those with overweight or obesity.” Still, more evidence is needed to know the long-term impact, said Julie Grim, director of nutrition for the American Diabetes Association, via email. Grim was not involved in the study.
Sievenpiper said that the goal is still to drink water as often as possible, but the results may be good news for people looking to manage weight or diabetes risk.
“You know that you’ve got a choice, and I think that’s important for a lot of people that they have that,” he added.
The debate
While the study may provide a positive outlook for beverage choices for people with weight and diabetes concerns, there has been a long, existing debate over alternative sweeteners and overall health.
A 2019 study found that drinking two or more artificially sweetened drinks a day is tied to an increased risk of clot-based strokes, heart attacks, and early death in women over the age of 50.
Another study in 2020 revealed that diet soda might be just as bad for a person’s heart as regular soda.
Danielle Smotkin, a spokesperson for American Beverage Association, said that this is despite artificial sweeteners being deemed safe by regulatory bodies.
The American Beverage Association is a US trade association representing the nonalcoholic beverage industry.
Grim said that the 2020 study did not identify increased risk factors. It also couldn’t account for long long-term impacts and could not identify if one low- or no-calorie sweetened drink was more effective than the other.
While experts say that water is still best, CNN nutrition contributor and registered dietician Lisa Drayer said it can be hard to quit sweet drinks suddenly.
“Cut back by one serving per day until you’re down to one drink per day,” Drayer told CNN in a prior interview. “Then aim for one every other day until you can phase out soft drinks entirely.”
She recommended sparkling water, infusing fruit, and a two-week no sugar challenge to help curb cravings.
A person’s taste buds will adjust to find “natural foods with sugar more satisfying,” she said.
