Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42842000›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of nutrition2026

Environmental impact ramifications of replacing added sugar with non-nutritive sweeteners in a high-calorie Dutch diet: the SWEET project.

J Suckling, A C Grasso, E Koukouna, J M Groen, M Tyszler, S Morse, M Raats, S B Astley, J C G Halford, J A Harrold and 4 more

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In one paragraph

Article in European journal of nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

J SucklingCentre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK. j.suckling@surrey.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8733-8949
A C GrassoMérieux NutriSciences | Blonk, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2962-9502
E KoukounaMérieux NutriSciences | Blonk, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
J M GroenMérieux NutriSciences | Blonk, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
M TyszlerMérieux NutriSciences | Blonk, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4573-0002
S MorseCentre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0519-1454
M RaatsSchool of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
S B AstleyEuroFIR AISBL, Brussels, Belgium.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1178-0407
J C G HalfordSchool of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1629-3189
J A HarroldDepartment of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0899-4586
A RabenDepartment of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Clinical Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital - Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5229-4491
J ScholtenMérieux NutriSciences | Blonk, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
C ScottCargill, B.V, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3909-7228
R MurphyCentre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3063-515X

Funding

Horizon 2020 Framework Programme 774293
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeGrowing concern about excess added sugar intake and associated adverse health effects has increased interest in non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) as low-calorie alternatives that preserve sweetness. Previous studies focus on health effects of replacing added sugar, or environmental impacts of NNS alone. However, none evaluate the environmental impact ramifications of replacing added sugar with NNS in a whole dietary setting. This study addresses that gap.

methodsThe baseline diet reflected an average diet of Dutch adults consuming > 2200 kcal/day (mean 2866 kcal/day). Added sugar (54 g/day), identified from recipe data, was replaced with steviol glycosides and a bulking agent (e.g., sorbitol) to create the NNS diet. Both diets were linked to life cycle assessment data and optimized separately for nutritional adequacy and the 2023 IPCC 1.5 °C target of 2.04 kgCO

resultsBoth diets had equivalent global warming potential (GWP, 4.18 kgCO

conclusionThese results highlight an opportunity for policymakers and consumers to focus on the health benefits of added sugar reduction rather than environmental trade-offs. Both dietary patterns can be further improved regarding nutritional and climate goals, suggesting that balanced, low-emission diets are attainable across different sweetness strategies. The study identifies methodological challenges in modeling realistic dietary substitutions and provides guidance for future research.

Indexed as

DietDietary SugarsEnergy IntakeEnvironmentNon-Nutritive SweetenersGlobal WarmingHumansNetherlandsSweetening AgentsDietary SugarsNon-Nutritive SweetenersSweetening AgentsAdded sugarLife cycle assessmentNon-nutritive sweetenersNutritionWhole diet

Identifiers

PMID42842000
PMCPMC13645856

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.