Research

Energy balance

Replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) reduces ad libitum energy intake and facilitates weight loss compared to sugar-sweetened beverages or water.

If you are trying to lose weight, replacing sugary sodas and juices with diet versions (sweetened with LCS) is an effective strategy. It reduces your daily calorie intake without necessarily making you hungrier. For best results, use LCS beverages as part of a broader plan that includes behavioral changes like tracking calories and portion control.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Studies suggest that food and beverages sweetened with LCS may help reduce energy intake if used in place of more energy-dense food and drinks... ad libitum energy intakes are lower with LCS because people only partly compensate for the missing calories
Sigrid Gibson et al. · Nutrition Bulletin · 2014

Why this rating

Based on multiple RCTs and meta-analyses cited, though some variability in study design exists.

Source

Consensus statement on benefits of low‐calorie sweeteners

Sigrid Gibson et al. · Nutrition Bulletin · 2014

DOI 10.1111/nbu.12116

narrative_reviewCited 28×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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